from: Motherboard
In the nonrenewable energy department, shale gas is just so hot right
now. But a study published this week argues that the process by which
it's extracted is quite harmful to the environment and full of unknowns.
Extensive research hasn’t been done yet to determine the extent of
fracking's ecological damage, both potential and otherwise, and energy
companies keeping their shale gas-related chemical lists and spills a
secret isn’t helping. Despite the secrecy, scientists can already tell
the whole process is pretty bad and needs major overhaul, along with
additional research.
The report, published in the journalFrontiers in Ecology and the Environment and
authored by eight conservation biologists from various organizations
and universities including Canada’s Simon Frasier University and
Princeton, argues that the shale gas development process needs way more
oversight and research.
In a press release,
they explain that their “key findings are cause for significant concern
and decisive mitigation measures.” Findings include the identification
of only five of 24 states in the US involved with shale gas development
that bother to make their chemical spills and accidents list public. The
remaining 19 are thus far just cool with anonymous hazmat events. The
paper also found that companies were not disclosing a full list of
chemicals being used during the shale gas extraction process either.
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