Re “Questions About the Safety of Fracking” (letters, Nov. 9):

Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, Democrat of New York, does not mention the economic benefits of natural gas development in regions long plagued by widespread unemployment. As a result of investments in safe shale gas technology by natural gas companies, people are working and communities are again thriving. Repeated tests have shown that hydraulic fracturing in thousands of wells protects water supplies, and state and federal tests have found no groundwater contamination.

Mr. Hinchey would have us believe that because the federal government doesn’t regulate it, there is lax regulation of hydraulic fracturing — or none. Hydraulic fracturing operations are indeed rigorously regulated by states, which are best equipped to regulate because hydrologic and geologic conditions vary greatly from state to state, making a nationwide system unworkable.

Shale producers have a commitment to the environment and the communities in which they operate. They’ve adopted numerous industrywide standards to ensure safe and clean operations, as well as programs such as FracFocus.org, a Web site about fracking that lists the components of hydraulic fracturing fluids on a well-by-well basis.

JACK N. GERARD
President and Chief Executive
American Petroleum Institute
Washington, Nov. 9, 2011

This letter to the editor, surprisingly by the President and Chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute, answers the questions raised by a November 9th article, "Questions About the Safety of Fracking," by Maurice Hinchey.  In order to really see the fallacies here, you should click on the link of the article by Hinchey and read that as well.  In summary, I think, as well written as Gerard's response is, it commits the straw person fallacy by not really answering the right question.  In response to the main concern of Hinchey, which is API's resistance to environmentally friendly legislation, Gerard mainly focuses on the economic benefits of fracking, and the jobs it is creating.  Gerald does mention safety in the last paragraph, specifically the website that lists the components of fluids in the fracking, well by well, but simply listing what chemicals are entering the earth aren't exactly taking safety precautions.  Having lived in a huge marcellus shale region in Pennsylvania, I can attest to the environmental dangers of fracking.  For example, while there may be regulations, large, billion dollar companies will simply pay the fine for safety infractions, rather than change their equipment/buy better, safer, and more expensive equipment.  As far as drinking water safety goes, which Hinchey mentions, some water in central PA is undrinkable because of chemicals leaking into the water; some water is even flammable.  These environmental issues are vaguely answered at best by Gerald.  The article focuses on the positive economic benefits, and does not answer the concerns raised by Hinchey.