fracking and earthquakes

[Dominique]

I'm sorry I didn't see this thread...I just posted something about there was no earthquake in Pa.

I live in Western Pa. In Pittsburgh to be specific. This is at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Fracking is newer to the area and comes with
controversy. Please know, this is a RED State. The controversy is not so much from Western Pa and North Eastern Ohio, where we were once heavy coal miners. Like it or not, fracking is another form of mining, and for another product. We also mine, in Western Pa. for cement (bet you didn't know that)
That is done in a very similar way to fracking, from the top down....cement mines, leave huge crators in the earth. But because it is not the goal of everyone to destroy the earth, these crators have been turned into eco-ponds/lakes. Now they've renamed them, man made lakes.

Fracking has been going on for about a hundred years. Fracking has brought a tremendous amount of employment and middle person money
to the area's they are fracking in. NOT want the conservatives want you to believe. There has been no evidence to support the allegations of water contamination. The EPA has assigned an OMBUDSMAN to oversee this. I am extremely interested in this Fracking, and also know. I am a self professed tree hugger. I do every thing I can to save the earth.

As I wrote in my other post. The very people of Pennsylvania who are screaming the loudest about fracking, mostly Northern Pa and Central Pa. still heat their homes with oil. Why is that? Why, in 2011 are you using oil
in the State capitol and not natural gas? (the amish and the penna. dutch are still chopping down the trees and burning wood) hardly clean air....but people are jumping on a political bandwagon of unproven accusations about fracking.

Speaking of mining. Coal mining is still regarded as one of the most dangerous industries around, and because of union busting,imported steel,
and the what not...we continue to pick up news papers about collapsed mines (remember the Chilean coal miners ?) I will also remind you, the Oil drilling industry is not without controversy.....I'll NEVER eat a piece of
fish again. I'll never trust that ocean will be safe.....but thats just me. Oil industry is jobs, good jobs with nice benefits. Thats what Fracking is bring
to Penna. and Ohio.

So if you are going to write your congressman, ask they make sure WOMEN are being given equal opportunity at these jobs. So this doesn't become another male dominated industry.

Jagg, I've been listening to world news since I came home from work and talk radio all afternoon, and no one has blamed fracking for an earthquake in Virginia. Can I ask where you heard this? I am surprised, as Fracking has been blamed for some odd things.

Cement mining was blamed for clear coat paint on a 10 year old chevy cavalier for coming off. Just saying.

[JAGG]

I know the EPA has no power or say in fracking. They were prohibited from testing anything in reguards to fracking in 2005. Have you heard of the Haliberton loophole act? So as far as it not contaminating the soil , that is questionable. Horizonal fracking uses 100's of chemicals as well as deepwell fracking does. But I'm not an expert I only know what I have read. Plus I don't want to debate something that I am not experienced in. I believe there isn't enough proof on either side of the debate, to have a firm conviction. That is how I feel. I want more studies to know for sure, all I am asking. Frankly I wish we used no fossil fuels for energy. But solar and wind, and the like.

[Jess]

When I first saw the title, I was like " yeah! we had a frackin earthquake too!"

I am totally unversed in fracking and its potential for environmental damage. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be doing some reading!

This area and where my mom and grands hail in West VA, are known for mining. Coal/ salt mines not far from here/gravel. You name it, if its here, we dig it.

My opinions on mines ( particularly coal ) have always been wrought with disgust in failed safety practices/ unfair compensation not to mention the environmental impact. In areas like this, however, it is very difficult to turn down ANY job that opens up.

There are no quick fix it solutions for the world demand on natural resources, the best we can hope to do is correct procedures that are harmful as they arise and safeguard against potential disaster. Hopefully, more research will determine the overall gain/ loss from this type of mining.

Big thanks for folks who keep an eye on these things!

[Dominique]

Indeed coal mining has done some damage! Maybe the only good that happened because of coal mining, was it helped bring about OSHA.

That's how it is in this area too Jess, you name it, they will mine it. There are even small oil wells on peoples farms.

There is an awful lot of natural gas in these mountains. Now that they know it is here, they are going to go after it. I'm not going to get into a debate about fracking, I just want to reiterate, it's not new....they've been doing it for one hundered years or so. Not enough conclusive evidence to make them stop. I found your three posts blaming the earthquake in Pennsylvania on fracking to be inflammatory.

Today is a new day, and life goes on. . I'm a pssionate person too.