Last quarter, I had an in-class debate on the positive and negative aspects of hydraulic fracturing, and after hearing the pros and cons of this advanced technology during the debate, I was in support of the use of this technique. I have a different view than my classmate. Many processes used in our country have positives and negatives to them, and in this case, I believe the positives outweigh the negatives. .
The current unemployment rate of the United States is around 8% and our economy continues to have its struggles. Hydraulic fracturing has the potential to change this issue. Using hydraulic fracturing will allow us to obtain natural gas domestically and decrease our reliance on foreign fuel and our reliance on foreign oil, which is one of the problems with our economy right now. If US money stayed within the nation's borders, our economy could improve significantly. Along with this, many jobs would be created. Workers are needed for drilling as well as driving water to the sites and water from the site to a water treatment plant. It is estimated that hydraulic fracturing could "create up to 37,000 jobs and generate from $31 million to $185 million a year in added state income taxes for New York" (Navarro, New York Times). Hydraulic fracturing would also add another big business to the US economy. It can also serve to improve local economies. If natural gas is taxed and the money stays within the resident economy, the county can be improved. This includes improvements on schools, hospitals, and roads. Lastly, hydraulic fracturing also has benefits for the environment and can provide greener energy. The natural gas obtained from hydraulic fracturing can be a replacement to coal and oil. Natural gas is more efficient as well as cleaner than coal. It also releases less carbon dioxide. So when asked if the "clean-ness" of natural gas burning is worth the risks of hydrofracking? I say yes, for the reasons stated above.
