Hydraulic fracturing is the use of sand, water, and chemicals injected into the ground at very high pressures to blast open the shale rock and release the trapped gas inside. However to citizens this is known as fracking, some wells are even close to private property. There are some debates that this type of drilling is a risk to air, land, water, wildlife and many communities, although there are some who say it has no effects on the environment at all. Even though there are jobs being created in this type of industry, the number of jobs does not offset the possible environmental damage that is being created through the drilling process and the waste from other states being shipped to Ohio. County has 18 injection wells and Portage the ODNR provided permits for eight more. The possibility of fracking in Trumbull County is very high because BP already has leases to drill on 83,000 acres of land, some of which is private property. While other residents may be against this industry, companies such as BP pay the owners of the land for the rights to drill on their property. The industry is giving 50% of new jobs and opportunities for people to get good incomes to provide for their families. Although the drilling is still continuing there are still many who do not approve.

“Fracking: What is Fracking?.” http://www.theoec.org. NA, Ohio Environmental Council, n.p. Web. 2013. November.

“Face off on Fracking: a heated issue.” http://www.wfmj.com. Smith L. Raymond, Tribune Today, n.p. Web. 2013. June.

~LW

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