Fracking

What's the most productive way to utilize the fertile land that sits above California's vast Monterey Shale oil reserve? The environmental impacts of fracking on California's farmland could derail what promises to be an enormous oil boom.

June 5, 2013 - The New York Times

Environmentalists charged that the new federal rules guiding hydraulic fracturing do not protect the environment and inform the public about the fracking process. The new Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, appeared prepared for their comments.

May 21, 2013 - The New York Times

Susan Brantley of Penn State University and Anna Meyendorff of University of Michigan pen this op-ed to assess the pros and cons of fracking for natural gas. How does fracking compare to obtaining energy from other sources? Do the facts warrant bans?

March 16, 2013 - The New York Times - The Opinion Pages

Two reports claim wildly opposite views on where the current shale gas boom is headed. David Hughes, a Canadian geologist and fellow of the Post Carbon Institute disputes projections of energy independence. A Univ. of Texas study confirms the boom.

March 2, 2013 - The Tyee

Hydraulic fracturing may finally allow drillers to extricate oil from the Monterey Shale, creating a shale oil boom that could dwarf ones in states such as North Dakota. Environmentalists are digging in to limit the controversial practice.

February 5, 2013 - The New York Times

A recent headline in The New York Times said it all: "Gas Drilling Is Called Safe in New York." But, according to Philip Bump, the leaked report that was the basis for the article was filled with so many caveats and outdated info as to be useless.

January 5, 2013 - Grist

Over a long career in public office, Gov. Jerry Brown has earned a reputation as a pioneer in the modern environmental movement. Now, in the twilight of that career, some see him forsaking that path for the pragmatism of economic growth.

January 2, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Confirming an earlier Dept. of Energy report, the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook indicates not only that U.S. oil production will surpass Saudi Arabia's by 2020, but that it will be a net exporter by 2030 - thanks to fracking.

November 14, 2012 - Bloomberg News

In a 2-part series, NPR reports on the rapid downfall of coal as an energy source and its replacement by natural gas - each now produces about one-third of America's electricity. Fracking is key to increased NG supplies - but it carries its own risks

July 17, 2012 - National Public Radio

If natural gas has a future, the key is to regulate hydraulic fracking in a report by the International Energy Agency. The New York Times recommends that all concerned about the environment read it - and no better place to apply it than New York.

June 14, 2012 - The New York Times - Opinion

Oil drilling has brought abundant prosperity to North Dakota over the past few years. Nicholas Kusnetz exposes the impact of weak environmental regulation in the state.

June 10, 2012 - ProPublica

Hillary Rosner speaks with Bob Irvin, president of American Rivers, on their newly released list of the most endangered rivers in the country.

May 17, 2012 - The New York Times Green Blog

Joe Romm reports on a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) paper that ties the unprecedented rise in earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and greater across a broad swath of the country to man-made sources.

April 9, 2012 - Climate Progress

New York Times economics writer and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman analyzes two major reasons for increasing oil drilling - reducing unemployment and lowering gas prices, and describes why it does neither.

March 20, 2012 - The New York Times - The Opinion Pages

In what may turn out to be a landmark ruling, the right of Dryden, a New York township adjacent to Cornell University to use its zoning code to ban the controversial drilling technique known fracking was upheld by the N.Y. State Supreme Court.

February 23, 2012 - Pro Publica

Fracking technology led to a gas boom--now there's so much gas available, that prices have dropped along with demand.

January 26, 2012 - NPR

A key ruling on whether and/or how to allow the High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing (or fracking) method of extracting natural gas is imminent in New York State. The decision could set a nationwide precedent.

January 13, 2012 - THE DIRT

Eliza Griswold profiles the economic, health, and environmental troubles of Amwell Township, PA, after an oil company moves in and begins fracking for natural gas.

November 18, 2011 - The New York Times Magazine

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to expedite natural oil gas drilling, or fracking, is too risky to rush. Even with environmental regulations in place, writes Eric Goldstein, there are too many "unresolved substantive issues" to resolve.

October 9, 2011 - Gotham Gazette

The Bakken formation, which lies under North Dakota and Montana, could contain almost 11 billion barrels of oil. Towns like Williston, ND are exploding in population and have the lowest unemployment in the country.

September 26, 2011 - NPR