Ryan Sweeney Sweeney 1
ENG100
Assignment #3: I-Search Paper
Tuesday December 16, 2014
Fracking vs. Coal Mining
Section 1: Proposal
Is coal mining and fracking a safe, economically friendly way to power Pennsylvania ? This topic hits close to home, because I live in Pennsylvania and the possible impacts on the Ecosystem and it could cost me more money living in Pennsylvania , “Pennsylvania's annual gross natural gas production, primarily from the Marcellus Shale, exceeded 2 trillion cubic feet in 2012, a 72% increase over 2011 production.” according to Pennsylvania State Energy Profile on the U.S Energy Information Administration's website. Coal mining in Pennsylvania started in the late-1700’s and is one of the five largest coal producing states in the U.S. Pennsylvania is not only one of the largest coal producers we are one of the major consumers of coal also.according to A Pennsylvania fracking website "Pennsylvania first began regulating natural gas drilling in 1956."
Section 2: Process
I have used multiple websites to review this topic since I do not have much background knowledge on it.The names of the websites are The New York Times, The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, National Public Radio, U.S Energy Information Administration, www.worldcoal.org, and www.Dangersoffracking.com. I looked at both the pros and cons of coal mining and fracking and the information I learned was quite interesting. One of the websites www.Dangersoffracking.com had a diagram about the fracking process. This diagram really helped me learn exactly about the fracking process. When you scroll down it follows water all the way through the fracking procedure.
Section 3: Paper
A topic that is being heavily debated in the news lately, especially in reference to PA is fracking. Is Coal mining and fracking a safe way to power Pennsylvania? How much does it cost? I had heard the term of fracking and have seen it on bumper stickers but I did not know exactly what it was. Living in PA I could be impacted by the possible effects on the eco-system and the coast of heating could have an impact on my financial situation as I get older.
“Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas inside.”(www.dangersoffracking.com) Fracking is done with many fluids. Some are toxic some are not. When the drill team’s drill they drill from 2,000 ft up to over 6,000ft. Coal mining depends on the depth of the mine and the amount of coal below ground they can be anywhere from a couple hundred feet up to 1,000, some mines reach the depth of 2,000ft. Coal mining has its own health effects and hazards. There is two types of coal mining Room and pillar mining and Longwall mining. Room and pillar mining is when “rooms” are cut leaving “pillars’” of coal to support the roof of the mine. “Longwall mining involves the full extraction of coal from a section of the seam, or 'face' using mechanical shearers.”(www.worldcoal.org).
The Environmental and health impacts of fracking include contaminated drinking and stream water. Only 30-50% of fracking fluid is recoverable the rest of the toxic fluid is left in the ground and is not bio-degradeable. Some of the chemicals in fracking fluid are water, sand, salt, citric acid, benzene a colorless and highly flammable liquid, lead ,and up to 600 more chemicals. During the process of fracking methane gas and the toxic chemicals leak out and contaminate groundwater.”Methane concentrations are 17x higher in drinking water wells near fracturing sites than in normal wells.”(www.dangersoffracking.com) . There has been 1,000 documented cases of water contamination as well as sensory, respiratory and neurological damage due to ingested contaminated water.”The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently warned that workers may be at elevated risk of contracting the lung disease silicosis from inhalation of silica dust at fracking sites. Silicosis is one of a family of dust-induced occupational ailments.” (http://www.environmentamerica.org/reports/ame/costs-fracking)
The Environmental and health impacts of coal are almost constant. The occupational hazards of coal mining are always there. Miners are often being injured by fallen objects, equipment, and roof collapse. Miners also have a severe risk of respiratory from the high levels of dust. Some health issues include COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) which is involves a long-term cough with mucus. Emphysema which is the destruction of lungs over time, And progressive massive fibrosis a large mass on the upper lobe of your lungs. Also hearing damage is major concern. Burning coal contaminates drinking water with mercury. When coal is burned carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury compounds are released into the air. Carbon Dioxide a colorless odorless gas absorbed into your bloodstream will suffocate the white blood cells and can cause you to die from oxygen deprivation.
Financial impact of fracking. Kathryn Klaber, former CEO of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, the largest organization representing companies involved in Pennsylvania’s natural gas drilling boom. “Who headed the Marcellus Shale Coalition until October 22, 2013, argued that fracking has had a positive economic impact. “You start with a lot of prep work [such as] leasing land, which has a huge economic impact on landowners in the U.S…. Well over a billion dollars has gone into securing those leases; by law, a minimum of one-eighth (12.5%) of the value of that gas goes to the landowners.” (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/fracking-do-the-economics-justify-the-risks/). The impact on public infrastructure is great. The truck traffic needed to deliver water to a fracking site is as much as 3.5 million car trips. In 2010 Texas estimated 40 million dollars were going to be needed to fix roads while Pennsylvania estimated 265 million dollars were going to be needed.The cost of reducing pollution in Pennsylvania is approximately 1.5 to 4 million dollars per year. “Fracking can also pollute drinking water sources for major municipal systems, increasing water treatment costs. If fracking were to degrade the New York City watershed with sediment or other pollution, construction of a filtration plant would cost approximately 6 billion.”(http://www.environmentamerica.org/reports/ame/costs-fracking).
The financial Impact of Coal Mining. President Obama said that the U.S is the Saudi Arabia of coal, but the rising cost of transportation,explosives and wages has hurt the U.S. A study done by Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment says "We estimate that the life cycle impacts of coal and the waste stream generated are costing the U.S. public a third to over one half a trillion dollars annually. the coal industry provided an estimated $10.9 million in revenues from the corporate net income, sales and use. “A reported 8,268 Pennsylvania residents were directly employed in the coal industry in 2010. We estimate that total tax revenues related to direct employment in the coal industry amounted to $39.4 million. However, state expenditures to support those employees amounted to approximately $38.8 million.”(http://downstreamstrategies.com/documents/reports_publication/ds_penncoal_budget_final.pdf) Total revenue in the general fund of Pennsylvania is $130,360,000 .
Section 5: Ponder
My view on this whole topic has slightly changed since I started researching it. I used to think that coal mining was a harmless blue colar way to fuel America. I was wrong. I also used to think that Pennsylvania did not rely on coal that much anymore. I was wrong again. When we talked in class about fracking and watched the video of the guy lighting his tap water on fire. All the dangers these types of energys’ cause really made me want to research this topic and I’m glad I did. It has made me realize that Pennsylvania relies on more than one source of energy. It has also helped me make decisions on what to do with my future and if i want to stay in Pennsylvania when I have a family and children. I think that both are a poor more expensive way to power Pennsylvania and we should look into more ways to power PA.
ENG100
Assignment #3: I-Search Paper
Tuesday December 16, 2014
Fracking vs. Coal Mining
Section 1: Proposal
Is coal mining and fracking a safe, economically friendly way to power Pennsylvania ? This topic hits close to home, because I live in Pennsylvania and the possible impacts on the Ecosystem and it could cost me more money living in Pennsylvania , “Pennsylvania's annual gross natural gas production, primarily from the Marcellus Shale, exceeded 2 trillion cubic feet in 2012, a 72% increase over 2011 production.” according to Pennsylvania State Energy Profile on the U.S Energy Information Administration's website. Coal mining in Pennsylvania started in the late-1700’s and is one of the five largest coal producing states in the U.S. Pennsylvania is not only one of the largest coal producers we are one of the major consumers of coal also.according to A Pennsylvania fracking website "Pennsylvania first began regulating natural gas drilling in 1956."
Section 2: Process
I have used multiple websites to review this topic since I do not have much background knowledge on it.The names of the websites are The New York Times, The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, National Public Radio, U.S Energy Information Administration, www.worldcoal.org, and www.Dangersoffracking.com. I looked at both the pros and cons of coal mining and fracking and the information I learned was quite interesting. One of the websites www.Dangersoffracking.com had a diagram about the fracking process. This diagram really helped me learn exactly about the fracking process. When you scroll down it follows water all the way through the fracking procedure.
Section 3: Paper
A topic that is being heavily debated in the news lately, especially in reference to PA is fracking. Is Coal mining and fracking a safe way to power Pennsylvania? How much does it cost? I had heard the term of fracking and have seen it on bumper stickers but I did not know exactly what it was. Living in PA I could be impacted by the possible effects on the eco-system and the coast of heating could have an impact on my financial situation as I get older.
“Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas inside.”(www.dangersoffracking.com) Fracking is done with many fluids. Some are toxic some are not. When the drill team’s drill they drill from 2,000 ft up to over 6,000ft. Coal mining depends on the depth of the mine and the amount of coal below ground they can be anywhere from a couple hundred feet up to 1,000, some mines reach the depth of 2,000ft. Coal mining has its own health effects and hazards. There is two types of coal mining Room and pillar mining and Longwall mining. Room and pillar mining is when “rooms” are cut leaving “pillars’” of coal to support the roof of the mine. “Longwall mining involves the full extraction of coal from a section of the seam, or 'face' using mechanical shearers.”(www.worldcoal.org).
The Environmental and health impacts of fracking include contaminated drinking and stream water. Only 30-50% of fracking fluid is recoverable the rest of the toxic fluid is left in the ground and is not bio-degradeable. Some of the chemicals in fracking fluid are water, sand, salt, citric acid, benzene a colorless and highly flammable liquid, lead ,and up to 600 more chemicals. During the process of fracking methane gas and the toxic chemicals leak out and contaminate groundwater.”Methane concentrations are 17x higher in drinking water wells near fracturing sites than in normal wells.”(www.dangersoffracking.com) . There has been 1,000 documented cases of water contamination as well as sensory, respiratory and neurological damage due to ingested contaminated water.”The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently warned that workers may be at elevated risk of contracting the lung disease silicosis from inhalation of silica dust at fracking sites. Silicosis is one of a family of dust-induced occupational ailments.” (http://www.environmentamerica.org/reports/ame/costs-fracking)
The Environmental and health impacts of coal are almost constant. The occupational hazards of coal mining are always there. Miners are often being injured by fallen objects, equipment, and roof collapse. Miners also have a severe risk of respiratory from the high levels of dust. Some health issues include COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) which is involves a long-term cough with mucus. Emphysema which is the destruction of lungs over time, And progressive massive fibrosis a large mass on the upper lobe of your lungs. Also hearing damage is major concern. Burning coal contaminates drinking water with mercury. When coal is burned carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury compounds are released into the air. Carbon Dioxide a colorless odorless gas absorbed into your bloodstream will suffocate the white blood cells and can cause you to die from oxygen deprivation.
Financial impact of fracking. Kathryn Klaber, former CEO of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, the largest organization representing companies involved in Pennsylvania’s natural gas drilling boom. “Who headed the Marcellus Shale Coalition until October 22, 2013, argued that fracking has had a positive economic impact. “You start with a lot of prep work [such as] leasing land, which has a huge economic impact on landowners in the U.S…. Well over a billion dollars has gone into securing those leases; by law, a minimum of one-eighth (12.5%) of the value of that gas goes to the landowners.” (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/fracking-do-the-economics-justify-the-risks/). The impact on public infrastructure is great. The truck traffic needed to deliver water to a fracking site is as much as 3.5 million car trips. In 2010 Texas estimated 40 million dollars were going to be needed to fix roads while Pennsylvania estimated 265 million dollars were going to be needed.The cost of reducing pollution in Pennsylvania is approximately 1.5 to 4 million dollars per year. “Fracking can also pollute drinking water sources for major municipal systems, increasing water treatment costs. If fracking were to degrade the New York City watershed with sediment or other pollution, construction of a filtration plant would cost approximately 6 billion.”(http://www.environmentamerica.org/reports/ame/costs-fracking).
The financial Impact of Coal Mining. President Obama said that the U.S is the Saudi Arabia of coal, but the rising cost of transportation,explosives and wages has hurt the U.S. A study done by Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment says "We estimate that the life cycle impacts of coal and the waste stream generated are costing the U.S. public a third to over one half a trillion dollars annually. the coal industry provided an estimated $10.9 million in revenues from the corporate net income, sales and use. “A reported 8,268 Pennsylvania residents were directly employed in the coal industry in 2010. We estimate that total tax revenues related to direct employment in the coal industry amounted to $39.4 million. However, state expenditures to support those employees amounted to approximately $38.8 million.”(http://downstreamstrategies.com/documents/reports_publication/ds_penncoal_budget_final.pdf) Total revenue in the general fund of Pennsylvania is $130,360,000 .
Section 5: Ponder
My view on this whole topic has slightly changed since I started researching it. I used to think that coal mining was a harmless blue colar way to fuel America. I was wrong. I also used to think that Pennsylvania did not rely on coal that much anymore. I was wrong again. When we talked in class about fracking and watched the video of the guy lighting his tap water on fire. All the dangers these types of energys’ cause really made me want to research this topic and I’m glad I did. It has made me realize that Pennsylvania relies on more than one source of energy. It has also helped me make decisions on what to do with my future and if i want to stay in Pennsylvania when I have a family and children. I think that both are a poor more expensive way to power Pennsylvania and we should look into more ways to power PA.