Fossil Fuels and Climate Change
Burning fossil fuels produces waste gases known as combustion products that are released into the atmosphere. The most prominent combustion product is carbon dioxide (CO2), a clear, odorless gas. Levels of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere have been rising st
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Fracking and the Environment A scientific assessment of the environmental risks from hydraulic fracturing and fossil fuels
Fracking and the Environment
Daniel J. Soeder
Fracking and the Environment A Scientific Assessment of the Environmental Risks from Hydraulic Fracturing and Fossil Fuels
Daniel J. Soeder South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Rapid City, SD, USA
ISBN 978-3-030-59120-5 ISBN 978-3-030-59121-2 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59121-2 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Dedicated to the memory of James Paul Soeder (1956–2008), brother, friend, hiking companion, and always a tireless advocate for the environment.
Preface
Many people by now have heard the term “fracking,” and most know that it is related to the production of petroleum and natural gas. There are numerous concerns about the impacts fracking may have on the environment, and quite a few environmentalists and political leaders are calling for it to be banned altogether. Movies like “Gasland,” reinforced by viral posts on social media, have linked fracking in popular culture to air pollution, damage to the environment, contamination of surface water and groundwater, and risk to human health. Other films like “FrackNation” claim that environmental activists and the media have suppressed any and all facts that show the process does not harm the environment. So who is correct? Is it really that bad or not? There are a lot of complexities and nuances in any detailed response to that question, but the short and unsatisfying answer is that we don’t know. What we do know is that the use of fracking has substantially increased the production of domes
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