gas wells

"Tells the story of the energy boom's impact on a small town at the edge of Appalachia and one woman's transformation from a struggling single parent to an unlikely activist"--Amazon.

"Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as 'fracking', is a method of extracting natural gas and petroleum resources from rock formations deep within the earth ... Environmentalists and ordinary citizens alike are concerned that ... fracking [by the fossil fuel industry] poses [dangers] to humans and the environment ... The viewpoints in this resource examine the fracking debate from both pro and anti stances"--Introduction.

Examines what happens when natural gas extraction by means of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" takes place in a densely populated area with homes, schools, hospitals, parks, and businesses. The book focuses on fracking in the Barnett Shale, the natural gas-rich geological formation under the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Natural gas development is an important part of American energy policy to help reduce dependence on foreign oil, yet, as the book shows, it comes at a cost to the local communities in health and environmental burdens.

Explains the basics of hydraulic fracturing, considers the political and economic benefits, and explores the possible health dangers and damage to the environment.