http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/03/20/obama-administration-tightens-rules-on-oil-and-gas-fracking/ This article talks about the Obama administration placing tighter restrictions on fracking being done on public land, in hopes to lower the risk of water contamination. I liked this article because I think the writer did a nice job of being unbiased and pragmatic in his reporting. He successfully reports on the concerns and […]
Continue reading
Tag Archives: fracking
Fracking Depleting US Water Supplies
February 10, 2014 
3 Comments
A key argument in the debate against hydro fracturing is that the practice leads to contamination of groundwater and other natural resources. This has led to a number of moratoriums and bans on the local level, but a new study has been released that shows another possible negative side effect of fracking. This Guardian article outlines […]
Continue readingWhat is fracking pollution denial costing us?
February 9, 2014 2 Comments
In December of 2011, the EPA released a report confirming that water pollution detected in areas near natural gas extraction sites were indeed caused by hydraulic fracking, the process by which the gas is obtained. According to the ProPublica article describing the report, local water samples were found to contain various synthetic compounds, including Benzene, […]
Continue readingFracking in Northern Michigan
October 29, 2013 7 Comments
Hi everyone, this post is from Chad. I had trouble with my WordPress site (it wouldn’t let me put up a new post)- so Emily let me use her site! For years, the Mason Tract Area in Northern Michigan has been under the threat of oil companies. After months of deliberation and discussion between local […]
Continue readingCovering Fracking in the News
October 29, 2013 4 Comments
Bryan Walsh’s “How the Sierra Club Took Millions from the Natural Gas Industry–and Why they Stopped” highlights how the change of leadership in the Sierra Club contributed to the grassroots group’s position change regarding fracking. Do you think that Walsh’s story accurately portrays the Sierra Club’s position change or is there a slant? At the bottom of […]
Continue readingFracking: But What Can We Do?
March 31, 2013 11 Comments
Fracking. This word is provoking controversial discussions about human health, environmental degradation, and energy needs. This story, however, has implications in far more areas than just the environmental sector. Ever since the Industrial Revolution production has relied on fossil fuels [coal and petroleum]. Without these sources of energy, the entire way of life in developed countries would be fundamentally […]
Continue readingHydrofracking: Covering One of the Environment’s Hottest Energy Stories
March 29, 2013 3 Comments
“Fracking,” as it’s called, is being heralded by natural gas developers as a way to cheaply deliver an abundance of energy. And it’s been one of the most extensively reported environmental issues recently. But is it the answer to our energy woes, or another danger to the environment? Are journalists doing a sufficient job covering […]
Continue readingPolitics, the Environment, and Agenda Setting
January 27, 2013 7 Comments
An importan aspect of politics is the way in which agendas are set. How does one issue gain national attention while another, perhaps equally as important, never sees the light of day? In NPR’s article, Focus On Fracking Diverts Attention From Horizontal Drilling, author Jeff Brandy discusses why two very similar issues don’t receive the same […]
Continue readingFracking: a New Golden Age?
October 15, 2012 8 Comments
With every corner of the world looking for a means to create energy in a more environmentally friendly way, hydraulic fracking, or just fracking, seems to be the new fad in the Western Hemisphere. While it is no new fad altogether, it has been picking up popularity in recent months. So much so that some […]
Continue readingCovering the Hot New Energy Story: Hydrofracking
October 11, 2012 18 Comments
“Fracking,” as it’s called, is being heralded by natural gas developers as a way to cheaply deliver an abundance of energy. And it’s been one of the most extensively reported environmental issues of the past year. But is it the answer to our energy woes, or another danger to the environment? Are journalists doing a […]
Continue reading
Dissecting The News 