It’s time that the commonwealth of Pennsylvania distances itself from fracking. Over the last decade, it’s become clear that the costs far outweigh the benefits. Alongside enormous environmental harm and obvious risks to health, there’s another big problem that isn’t being discussed: fracking just isn’t doing what it’s supposed to be doing.
In the years-long debate about whether or not fracking should be banned, proponents argue that fracking has created jobs and buoyed the state economy — a falsehood that gas and utility companies are more than happy to promote. The truth, though, is far less enticing: in 2010, a study from Penn State claimed that fracking would promote around 200,000 jobs by 2020. Now, almost five years past that mark, fracking provides only around 16,000 jobs.
Whether or not you feel that the environmental and health costs of fracking are disqualifying, it’s clear that Pennsylvania’s dependence on fracking has become truly embarrassing. Pennsylvania continues to bend over backwards to support the industry, and it’s become one of the core issues in every election in our state. But what, we have to ask, has the industry really provided us? Broken promises, dirty water and a whole lot of lies.
Nathan Kerr
Mt. Lebanon