GASLAND: The Dangers of Hydraulic Fracking Footage

GASLAND: The Dangers of Hydraulic Fracking Footage

By Jennifer Sussex

The gas industry has often played an active role in American consumer consciousness, whether it is from documentaries like GASLAND or popular culture items like Hydraulic brand jeans. Names associated with gas-related practices are beginning to show up in the consumer industries. Levis and the image of the miner have been put on the backburner in lieu of a heated environmental debate. Since viewers at the Sundance festival left the first screening of GASLAND, a large portion of the country has been enveloped over the debate about hydraulic fracturing.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of injecting fluid into the ground to shake up deposits of shale rocks. Traditional fracking typically occurs when an oil well begins drying up and more extreme techniques are used to retrieve materials. Breaking up rocks below the surface releases the gas, but the chemicals used in fracking solutions are hazardous. Fracking chemicals turn into industrial waste and much of it stays in the ground, but some could pollute groundwater.

The complicated drilling process came under critique when corporations tried to make lucrative deals with farmers in Pennsylvania.  The corporations have their workers extract valuable mineral deposits from the land through the complex drilling process. While the locals enjoyed the prosperity of out-of-town executives visiting their lands, GASLAND filmmaker Josh Fox and others began researching fracking. Fox examined the actions of the companies when they offered his family about $4,750 to drill on their land. Many towns cited problems with their water after the companies had drilled on the property.

Further evidence revealed that methane and other heavy metals were kicked back into the water systems. In general, the individuals in these towns realized that there were widespread issues with their water; the water became highly flammable and unleashed carcinogens. The government should have established programs to the side effects of this problem before the companies were allowed to draft the related legal agreements. As of 2010 and as a result of Fox as well as other environmentally aware groups, the government has decided to conduct testing on the consequences of fracking.

From a public health perspective, this is one of the largest battles that the environmentally conscious must face into today’s age. Fracking is frightening because there was a lack of available resources on the problem. Few geologists had researched the practice. At the whims of corporations, the method was established in many states before it was properly tested. This created a dissonance between the public awareness of the event, despite the fact that this group was strongly and negatively impacted by the changes.

A pro-fracking film called FrackNation was subsequently released in February of 2012. This film generated $22K in funding from public crowdsourcing. Industry supporters buried Fox’s endeavors in a barrage of backlash by providing funding for this film. However, Fox’s inquiry into fracking reveals that the financial gains for the region are less important than the health concerns the residents face. Still, resentment is high with individuals in related areas who would have benefited from the companies favored the industry. The tinge of bitterness against Fox now runs through the community. According to Spin magazine, some of his property has been destroyed since the movie premiered.

According to the LA Times, Matt Damon will star in a Phelim McAller anti-fracking movie due to begin production and inspire more regulation later this month. The EPA and other organizations will undoubtedly be motivated to regulate the industry in conjunction with the Congress. The information disseminated by industry experts will reflect the contention and support the reform of this practice. The collaboration of activists, experts, and politically aware organizations must remember this instance and use it to seek renewable energy alternatives. 

Copyright 2012 The Radio Paper