Facts about fracking

The Spokesman-Review’s April 30 article, “Survey: U.S. should export more oil,” is more corporatist, one-sided propaganda. While the article does state such a move would increase fuel costs for the consumer, it fails to mention the vast increase in profits to the world’s richest corporations. The article fails to state the real and more important costs to America’s citizens. Such an increase would mean a corresponding increase in fracking.

Health risks associated with fracking revealed by recent research at the Colorado School of Public Health and Brown University, which links fracking to birth defects, was not mentioned. Facts omitted: Fracking a single well requires a million gallons of water, to be forever polluted and unusable. Toxic fracking chemicals are secret; the fossil fuel industry is exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Air Act. Fracking fluids cannot be disposed of safely and have contaminated drinking water sources.

Methane, a gas 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide, leaks from fracking wells, accelerating climate change. Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes, poisoned water, serious illness, exploding wells and leaks are all costs from exporting more oil.

Truth in journalism: We cannot afford increasing oil exports.

David Randall

Spokane