A One Sided View on Fracking

In a recent trip to Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers were given a uneven representation of the hydraulic fracturing industry. The tour was lead by Chesapeake Energy, the world's top shale gas producer. State Senator Bob Rucho stated, "I was impressed with the best industry practices they've established", he also claims that he saw cows in grassy fields. Many believe that this tour was an unfair depiction of what hydraulic fracturing will do to North Carolina's water if it is allowed in our state. The lawmakers were included in industry sponsored tours and meetings yet never made contact with citizens effected by the hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania. Rob Jackson, a professor at Duke University exclaims, "Lawmakers really do need to get this right, and that means learning what they got right in Pennsylvania and what they didn't".

A second a trip for three additional lawmakers is expected to wrap up today. If the lawmakers don't see both sides of this argument, their decisions could be detrimental to North Carolina.