1. By Jason Wright and Bailey Simmons Period 5 FRACKING: ECONOMIC BENEFIT OR ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD?

2. What is fracking? Fracking combines hydraulic fracturing and drilling to extract normally inaccessible oil from shale and other underground rock formations.

3. Fracking Continued…. The process includes pumping millions of gallons of water, sand, and undisclosed chemicals into the ground in order to flush oil from what was thought to be old dried out oil wells.

4. Advantages More oil, cheaper prices! Through this boom in shale gas extraction, fracking accounted for 40% of US natural gas production in 2008. The Energy Information Agency reports that over 24 billion barrels of recoverable shale oil resources still exist!

5. Other Advantages More jobs Lower energy prices (electricity) along with cheaper gas prices Decrease in coal emissions

6. Disadvantages Dangerous, hazardous chemicals used These chemicals have been found to be cancerous, and have been found to contaminate local community’s water.

7. Contaminated Water

8. Other Disadvantages Bi-products/chemicals can leak and spread through the ground from the process Huge water amounts are pulled from local communities for use, damaging those communities Lack of regulations and safety precautions do not prevent hazards with damaging effects from occurring

9. Conclusion Although the process of fracking can be extremely beneficial, more regulations and safety precautions must be imposed on these companies to protect the communities, and make fracking an ideal resource gathering method.

10. Bibliography Water in California. “Disadvantages and Advantages of Fracking”. Waterincalifornia.org. 28 August 2013. Accessed 26 November 2013. Hill, Rich. “Lets Discuss the Advantages of Fracking”. TransLoading.org. 13 Dec. 2011. Accessed 25 Nov. 2013. The Catalyst. “Educate yourself: The pros and cons of fracking”. Catalystnewspaper.com. 14 Dec. 2012. Accessed 25 Nov. 2013. http://catalystnewspaper.com/2012/12/14/educate-yourself-the-pros-and-cons-of-fracking/ Carey, Julie M. “Surprise Side Effect Of Shale Gas Boom: A Plunge In U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions”. www.Forbes.com. 7 December 2013. Accessed 17 December 2013. EnergyFromShale. " Benefits of Fracking". EnergyFromShale.org. 2013. Accessed 25 Nov. 2013. Leggett, Martin. “Dangers of fracking go beyond poisoned water supplies and earthquakes”. www.Earthtimes.org. 22 March 2011. Accessed 17 December 2013. Rob Port. “Fracking Has Brought Electricity Prices Down By 50%”. Sayanythingblog.com. 17 January 2012. Accessed 17 December 2013.