Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, is the use of a highly pressurized fluid consisting of water, sand, and a mixture of chemicals shot deep into underground shale rock to extract trapped natural gas. On the subject, national, ideological interests have confused the general public at large and made it harder for independent thought to flourish and make reasonable decisions. This mess is the symptom of nationalizing a local issue.
We simply cannot allow for another important topic to be seized by ideological power players just as the political process of our state has been hijacked by national interests. That hijacking has divided our state and pushed us further apart. Consequently, we find ourselves further from finding the truth, which should be our goal as citizens and as people.
The natural gas industry is inherently a good thing. The idea that America has a natural gas supply on scale with being the "Saudi Arabia" of the industry is both a progressive step on weaning ourselves off oil and an economical breakthrough that will lower energy prices and bring jobs to a struggling American work force. Noting the crushing job losses that Wisconsin has experienced, it's imperative that we find a way to regain those losses. More importantly, these jobs are family-sustaining and allow a Wisconsin family hurt by economic downturn to come back. By bringing this issue back to the local level, we can truly perceive the positives and negatives of our decisions that can give us the best outcome possible for all of us.
For those of us who are interested in delivering the country to a brighter, cleaner energy future, we should support the step forward, away from coal and fossil fuels. Natural gas is cleaner burning, and if handled properly, can reduce environmental impacts in an age of BP oil debacles. While I support natural gas development, I'm still excited and committed to delivering the U.S. to a better energy future. It can be done, but it requires a weaning off process to do that, and in the mean time we can strengthen the working and middle classes with a new industry.
The booming sand-mining industry popping in central and western Wisconsin should be something the state should be happy for. The white sand in our state has been described an nearly inexhaustible; this sand is essential to the fracking process being used to open up precious shale rock.
I absolutely support the sand industry, however any intrusions or loss of value or quality of life must be adequately compensated. There is no excuse for the involved business interests to not sufficiently compensate residents or affected parties that own land in that area, as all property rights are handled. By keeping the issue local, affected residents can more effectively speak out in local papers while more easily being able to receive legal and governmental recourses if needed. The federal government won't bother themselves with the complaints of homely Midwesterners, but the local government will.
When it comes to the actual fracking being done I'm more skeptical. As a major in environmental studies, the idea of poisoning precious groundwater deeply concerns me. While our state has escaped the gold-rush like zeal, other areas are less fortunate. For them, that issue must be handled locally. The issue is simply too great and too important to start manipulating and distorting what the affected population will experience. I feel that the states involved in the national fracking economy should come together and deal with it on a local level and leave the disgustingly inept federal government out of it. The federal government will provide nothing but problems, especially when we're in the midst of another election season marked by complete lameness.
We have one more problem. The war and propaganda machine is coming in to full speed with regards to Iran. By attacking Iran we face a real problem of oil shortages that will impact the world market in a negative way.
Assuming that Israel strikes Iran, as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says they will do this spring, a middle eastern war will envelop. Saudi Arabia has made no qualms about its intimate relationship between the U.S. and Israel, thus making Saudi Arabia a necessary target for Iran. This means respective Saudi and Iranian oil sites become strategic targets as a means of crippling one another. War will spike oil prices and could spark a longer term conflict that will require a long term economic conclusion.
That conclusion happens to be switching from petroleum to a natural gas economy. We need to resolve this debate and move on for the sake of the country, but more importantly for our communities that we rise and fall with. The citizens of Wisconsin need to educate themselves on the subject of fracking and come up with a reasonable and informed solution.
Matthew Curry is a junior majoring in political science and environmental studies. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
