Activity 4.2.1 – Applying My Environmental Policy Frameworks

Problem Statement Hydraulic fracturing, or commonly known as fracking, is a method of extracting natural gas and oil that has led to debates over environmental risks, energy independence and public health. Fracking is continuing to rapidly expand in the United States because of its technological advancements it's now unlocking vest reserves of natural gas. Though there has been significant economic growth with gas industry jobs hiring and greater energy independence have resulted from this, there are also now major environmental and public health issues. These include increased methane emissions which is a powerful greenhouse gas along with excessive water use in drought prone areas like Texas, and it is possible for hazardous chemicals used in the process can contaminate drinking water.(US EPA 2013) It is crazy to me that there isn't yet a unified federal regulatory framework to handle these hazards, which has increased public discussion and policy ambiguity regarding the energy source's long term viability, environmental costs and safety. Frames Hydrofracking Contentious Risk Frame The fracking fluids are dangerously close to water tables where we get our drinking water and if methane gas reaches the water supply, the water would be unsafe to drink. Fracking produces a lot of waste not only through the process but also due to the supply chain necessary to facilitate it. The water required for fracking to take place can range from two to four million gallons of water! (groundWater Protection Council 2009) Economic (Gain/Loss) Frame A study by IHS Global Insight estimates that the gas industry will support 870,000 jobs by 2015 and that the shale gas contribution to the US gross domestic product will be $231.1 billion in 2035. The study also predicts the gas industry will generate more than $933 billion in tax revenues for local, states and federal governments over the next 25 years (IHS 2011) Power/Political Frame In the United States Every level of government has the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing. Fracking is not effectively regulated at the federal level, and state by state variations exist in the amount of regulation. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, also referred to as the "Halliburton loophole," was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The former vice president and CEO of Halliburton, Richard Cheney proposed the Act and he argued that requiring companies with hydrofracking patents to comply with environmental regulations would force them to disclose the chemicals they used in the process, making them disclose their trade secrets to rivals (Vekshin 2013). Because of these exclusions, hydrofracking businesses were immune from the stringent air and water Identity/Values Frame Tertzakian argues that natural gas is an advantage over the other fossil fuels, since it burns cleaner and produces fewer environmental pollutants than oil or coal because of its simpler chemical structure. (Tertzakian 2006) It is also argued that natural gas is less expensive to develop, (I don't agree I think solar is better in the long run) which gives it a market advantage over renewable (US EIA 2010) Economic benefits and environmental protections are not mutually exclusive. Science/Facts Frame Fracking fluids contain benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene along with many other chemicals which are known to cause health problems like cancer. (U.S EPA 2013a) The chemicals used in fracking are used for killing bacteria, keeping levels of viscosity high enough to suspend the sand, keeping mixture together under heat, reducing friction, and adjusting the pH levels of fluid (Hammer and VanBriesen 2012) Conclusion To this day Fracking is still a very often debated environmental policy issue. Using this five point policy framework together we can better understand this ongoing debate and its complex dynamics. Each frame presents a different perspective associated with fracking. The fracking debate is likely to continue until a unified federal regulatory framework is put in place, reflecting broader social disagreements over energy, environmental preservation, and economic objectives. COHEN et al_2014_Fracking.pdf

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Activity 2.2- hydrosphere: Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska

Image
Activity 2.2 – Hydrosphere:  Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska Original Photo 2007   (notice the two people walking in the snow 2007)   Second Photo (2015)   Google Earth View (Google Maps, 2025)   Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska, between 2007 and 2015 According to Mutiti et al. (2018), glaciers are an essential component of the  cryosphere , the frozen water part of the Earth system. Problem Over the past century, Mendenhall Glacier, near Juneau, in south east Alaska, has been significantly retreating. In addition to changing the local environment, this retreat acts as a clear sign of larger climate shifts. Comprehending the magnitude and consequences of this glacial recession is essential to understanding how climate change affects cryospheric habitats. Explanation The distance of Mendenhall Glacier from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake is roughly 13.6 miles. The Tlingit names Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town") and "the Glacier Behind the Little La...
Read more

Activity 4.1 – US Environmental History and Major Regulations.

In the United States throughout history, the environmental thought has shifted from viewing nature as a resource to be conquered and consumed to slowly realizing nature is something we need to respect and preserve. Theis & Tomkin (2018) and Russell & Fairfax (2014), help explain the evolution of environmental regulation and activism. When America first came to be, the settlers were focused on survival and Westward expansion, so nature was often seen as an obstacle. back then, nature seemed limitless. This era was shaped by the idea of “manifest destiny” which encourage expansion for economic gains (Thesis and Tonkin, 2018) By the late 19th century, the effects of unchecked industrialization became hard to ignore as pollution increased alongside water, contamination and deforestation. Muir advocated for preserving nature for its intrinsic value. (Russel and Fairfax 2014) he helped lay the groundwork for the US forest service and national Park service. A key cultural turning po...
Read more

Activity 3.3.3- My Plastic Use

Image
Sarah Dudas’s TED Talk, Microplastics Are Everywhere, opened my eyes to the overwhelming impact plastic pollution has on our environment and health. She mentions that in just 65 years, we have produced an estimated 8,300 million metric tons of plastic, yet only 9% has been recycled so the rest ends up in landfills, oceans, and ultimately, our bodies!! Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that never fully decompose, making them a major environmental and health concern. Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5mm in size, about as small as a grain of rice. They come in two forms, the first is called Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured to be small, such as microbeads in cosmetics or fibers from synthetic clothing (Dudas, 2018). Secondary microplastics are a result from the breakdown of larger plastics due to exposure to sunlight, ocean waves, or friction over time (Plastic Soup Foundation, 2019).According to Dr. Erik van Sebille in “Charting the Garbag...
Read more