The NC Senate and House voted to lift the moratorium on fracking, and Governor Pat McCrory is signing the bill. The bill will not allow cities to ban/limit fracking and does not require the companies to disclose the chemical content of the fracking fluid.
I realize a lot of people do not know what fracking is. There have been reports on the news about earthquakes related to fracking, but that would be a blessing if that were the only side effect. “Fracking” is hydraulic fracturing, where natural gas is extracted from rocks beneath the surface by drilling into the ground and pumping a mixture of water and chemicals into the rocks to cause cracks, releasing the gases. The fluids released into the ground are some of the most harmful substances we can be exposed to, and since they are being put into the ground, it contaminates the drinking water.
These are some of the chemicals commonly used and their health effects: Benzene and Ethyl benzene (carcinogens closely associated with leukemia), Toluene and Xylene (attacks the Central Nervous System), Lead compounds (causes neurological disorders, attacks the Central Nervous System and causes reproductive problems), Mercury compounds (attacks the Central Nervous System, Lungs and Kidneys), Formaldehyde (carcinogen), Radium (radioactive).
Watch “Fracking Hell” and “Gasland” on YouTube. These are documentaries of people in towns like ours who have been devastated by fracking. People cannot drink or bathe in their water, cancer is high and lives are destroyed. We need to stop this! It is a disgrace that the people we elected to represent North Carolina would allow this to happen. I’ve heard it could start in Topton. If the Governor signs this week, drilling could start as soon as March. Contact your officials this is not politics, it’s our lives. We can make a difference!
Alaina Anderson
Science Teacher, B.A. Biology, Master’s in Interdisciplinary Science, National Board Certified
Andrews
