In Barak Obama's 2012 State of the Union Speech he called for an increase in domestic production. While he did tout the benefits of Renewable Energy sources like Wind and Solar power, his main focus was on the production of Natural Gas. He claimed that we would produce enough gas to last America 100 years. This was part of his clean energy solution. Yet Natural Gas is obtained through the controversial process of Hyrdraulic Fracturing - also known as "fracking." While decreasing Petroleum Oil dependence is a move in the right direction, there are many dangers of using Natural Gas.

Strong public opinion has already lead to a country wide ban of the process in Bulgaria and France. If this process is so safe, why would it be banned in two countries? According to the Food and Water Watch Homepage, there are many public health and environmental threats associated with fracking. We will examine these below:

THE PUBLIC AND SAFETY RISKS OF FRACKING

• Four million pounds of Silica Dust are used to prop open all the newly created fractures in an underground fracking formation. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have recently found that work sites had 79% more Silica Dust than recommended. More than 500 micrograms per day can lead to Silicosis, an irreversible disease as well as a well-documented path to lung cancer.

• Methane Emissions are a primary constituent of Hydraulic Fracturing. Methane (CH₄) is a green house gas that is 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than (CO₂) over a 100 year period.

• Many communities have already had their drinking water contaminated from this process. The millions of gallons used in fracking wells will also deplete the local water supply.

• Fracking pollution isn't limited to water. There is also much air pollution near fracking sites.

• The gas iteself can cause wells and houses to explode.

• The Federal Government has exempted the Natural Gas Industry from the law that protects drinking war.

• According to a report released by the Food and Water Watch, this process could become a global environmental and public health threat.