"Fracking Causes Premature Babies? ACSH Drills Down For Answers," By Gil Ross. A recent study links high-volume hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” to higher pre-term birth rates. But the conclusion isn’t really warranted. The study found an 11 percent early birth rate among mothers near the drilling sites, while the CDC proclaims that the national pre-term delivery rate is 11.5 percent. That’s not really a meaningful difference when we consider variables such as genetic … [Read more...]
Fracking No Threat to Drinking Water
June 8, 2015
"EPA Says Fracking Isn’t a Threat to Drinking Water," by American Council on Science and Health. The US government’s most comprehensive examination of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and drinking water, which spanned four years, concluded that fracking, as it is being carried out and regulated, is not a threat to drinking water. “Hydraulic fracturing activities in the U.S. are carried out in a way that have not led to widespread, systematic impact on drinking water resources,” said Thomas … [Read more...]
Top Ten Scares of 2014
December 29, 2014
"ACSH’s Top 10 Health Scares of 2014," by American Council on Science and Health. 10.The Food Babe attacks ingredient found in Subway bread The chemical azodicarbonamide is used in baking as a dough conditioner, meant to improve the strength and workability of the dough, as well as to increase the speed at which the dough rises. It is a common ingredient in bread. Azodicarbonamide is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. FDA, and is thus considered safe to be added to foods. Read … [Read more...]
Fracking Does not Pollute Water and Air
November 10, 2014
"Fracking Operators Have Solved Most Problems, are Working on the Rest," By H. Sterling Burnett. Oil and gas operators are on the verge of solving the only arguably legitimate objections raised against the practice of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production: earthquakes and water consumption. Innovation has brought good news to an industry that has a serious image problem despite the tremendous good it has done for our country. Environmental lobbyists contend fracking pollutes the air … [Read more...]
Fracking Fears Unfounded
November 10, 2014
"Denton, TX, “Birthplace” of Fracking, Votes it off the Island. So What?," By American Council on Science and Health. A relatively minor footnote to the major election news last Tuesday occurred in a small college town in the vast oil and gas region known as the Barnett Shale. Not far from Dallas, Denton TX is known in some circles as the birthplace of the technology known by cognoscenti as high-volume hydraulic fracturing of shale to release and collect the entrapped natural gas and other … [Read more...]
Fracking, Water Quality, and Health
September 22, 2014
"Water Pollution Not from Fracking, It Seems — Neither are 'Health' Effects," By American Council on Science and Health. This week’s New York Times has a report from a group based at Ohio State University which found that water contamination by methane and other hydrocarbons, even in areas where hydraulic fracturing of shale and horizontal drilling — the technologies known as “fracking” — is occurring is not the result of the process itself, but rather from well leaks. Read more. Watch the … [Read more...]
Anti-Fracking Nonsense
July 1, 2013
"Fracking: Evidence-Smevidence," by Vicki E. Alger. Recall back in 2011 when the EPA released a non-peer reviewed report that linked hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to contaminated wells in Pavillion, Wyo.? At the time then-EPA administrator Lisa Jackson acknowledged there has never been a proven case of fracking affecting water. Read the full article at IWF's Inkwell Blog. … [Read more...]
Fracking and Health
February 13, 2013
"To Frack or not to Frack: Governor Cuomo, Make Up Your Mind!" By American Council on Science and Health. Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo yet again delayed making a decision on whether to allow hydraulic fracturing — fracking — in the state of New York. Fracking has been under review by state regulators since before Mr. Cuomo took office in January 2011. Read the full article in ACSH Dispatch. … [Read more...]
NYS Report: Fracking is Safe
January 4, 2013
"New York State Health Department: Fracking is Safe, but Don’t Tell Anyone," by American Council on Science and Health. According to an analysis conducted last year, the New York state Health Department found that hydrofracking could be conducted safely in New York. This much-debated procedure, formally known as high volume hydraulic fracturing, involves injecting sand, water and chemicals underground at high pressure to extract natural gas from rock formations. Read the full article in ACSH … [Read more...]
