Page - 83 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

local freshwater sources which are already needed for many different purposes. At times when water supplies are running short in a specific area it has to be transported to the fracking site fromafar. • ‘Water quality is also under threat from fracking as well as the quantity available. Many chemicals used in the fracking fluid (the composition of which is often protected for commercial confidentiality reasons) have increasingly been found to be harmful both to the environment and to human health, yet poor regulations and legislation governing fracking often allow accidents which contaminate surrounding water sources. There is a need for greater responsibility, through developing codes of conduct and regulatory systems governing fracking so as toprotectwater resources and the environment.’ Given this complex context, where do I come out on fracking? My belief is that commercial mining of shale gas and oil is here to stay for at least the next several decades because of the attractive financial returns, the reduced carbon emissions associated with substituting natural gas for coal in power generation, and the national security benefits associatedwith an indigenous energy source. Weighing the pros and cons I conclude that what is needed is to create and enforce a strict regulatory regime at federal, state and local levels for fracking. Fracking gas is creating a new ‘natural gas era’ in the US and elsewhere and we will have to deal with it in as safe a manner as possible. Threats to ecosystems and water supplies are serious threats and require our utmost attention. Given the costs involved in addressing the cons I expect some attempted shortcuts and ‘accidents’, but that’s an inevitable part of supplying energy needs. It is society’s job to create disincentives for these shortcuts, educate the public about the threats, and keep the pressure on companies and government officials to adhere to and enforce the regulations. Fossil fuels 83