North Carolina legislators are considering a bill that would allow companies to drill for natural gas in the state, despite decades of laws to the contrary. Elon environmental studies students are aiming to increase awareness about what they understand to be a dangerous plan.
“The failures of all the energy crises are unfolding into our laps,” said junior Keegan Johnson. “There is time still to mediate the problems, but it starts with our generation. All we have to do is get out there and make it happen.”
[quote]Knowledge of the implications from natural gas will help North Carolina citizens make smart and educated decisions on this issue.[/quote]
Johnson is leading the charge against legalization, and he’s starting with the area around Elon.
The southern portion of the state contains billions of cubic feet of natural gas that are trapped underground by several thousand feet of shale.
Currently, there is no legal means to extract this gas, but that may change this May.
North Carolina legislators are planning to vote to legalize hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the process of drilling and injecting millions of gallons of water and chemicals into the ground to shatter the shale that lies between the surface and potentially vast natural gas reserves.
This process is currently outlawed in North Carolina, but the Energy Jobs Act, Bill 709, is scheduled to go through the General Assembly May 8. If this bill passes, companies will be able to use hydraulic fracturing on North Carolina land for the first time in state history.
“I want the surrounding communities to be informed of this cause,” Johnson said. “Knowledge of the implications from natural gas will help North Carolina citizens make smart and educated decisions on this issue.”
Johnson is not the only opponent of drilling. Fracking is an extremely resource-intensive process, requiring anywhere between one and 10 million gallons of water, an intricate network of service roads and 400 tanker trucks to carry supplies to and from the drill site, according to Johnson.
Junior Lauren Hoerr, an environmental studies major, is also aiming to increase awareness of the issue. She said she agrees that drilling isn’t worth the damage it does.
“It’s so much more energy-intensive than what you get in the end,” she said. “There are just so many factors in terms of toxic chemicals, or known carcinogens, or polluting the water.”
While the Safe Drinking Water Act of 2005 currently protects the use of chemicals used in the process, the substances used in fracturing fluids are entirely unregulated and often contain carcinogens and pollutants like radium, formaldehyde and even uranium. According to a 2011 study by the Environmental Protection Agency, these chemicals often seep into ground water reservoirs and contaminate drinking water supplies for entire communities.
Johnson’s group is still small, but they’re attempting to bring the issue to the attention of Elon students.
“As of now, we’re working to connect with Res Life and SUB to incorporate the documentary ‘Gaslands’ into an event,” Johnson said. “We are also in the midst of (using) social media to promote and connect to other organizations around the state.”
The group is also trying to bring Josh Fox, the director of “Gaslands,” to Elon. Fox was arrested earlier this month for attempting to videotape Congressional proceedings during a subcommittee meeting on fracking.
Above all, Johnson said his main concern is informing Elon students of the issue.
“Awareness is the biggest issue at this point,” Johnson said. “Knowledge of the implications of natural gas will help North Carolina citizens make smart and educated decisions on this issue.”