By Walter Brasch
Fracking—the process the oil and gas
industry uses to extract fossil fuel as much as two miles below the ground—may
directly impact the nation’s water supply, reduce water-based recreational and
sports activity, and lead to an increase in the cost of food.
The cocktail soup required for each well requires
about two million pounds of silica sand, as much as 100,000 gallons of toxic
chemicals, and three to nine million gallons of fresh water. There are more than
500,000 active wells in the country.
