Why A Texas City May Ban Fracking
Denton, Texas, is considering a ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and a new study links this process of energy extraction with earthquakes. NPR's Arun Rath considers the risks with science writer Abrahm Lustgarten.
ARUN RATH, HOST:
The town of Denton, Texas is embroiled in a debate over fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, to extract natural gas. Fracking has brought a steady stream of revenue to Denton for years, but this Tuesday, the Denton city council will consider banning fracking because of environmental concerns. For more, I spoke with Abrahm Lustgarten. He's an environmental reporter for ProPublica, and he explained what some residents of Denton are worried about.
ABRAHM LUSTGARTEN: There are concerns about what happens to ground water supplies as the fracking chemicals - the mixture that's used - is injected underground at very high pressure. There's concern that it will seep into aquifers - either the methane gas or the chemicals themselves.
The process also produces an enormous amount of waste called produced water. Both the fracking chemicals come out of the ground and also water that is contaminated with natural chemicals from deep underground that, you know, once it's brought back to the surface needs to be dealt with. That waste stream is often re-injected into what are called waste disposal wells.
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http://www.npr.org/2014/07/13/331133817/why-a-texas-city-may-ban-fracking
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