Assignment:

For this week's newspaper article, you decided to write about environmental health. You chose this topic because there is a lot of talk around town about "fracking". Some people are in favor of allowing natural gas companies to frack in your area because it will help the local economy. Others fear its potential effects on community health and safety. TheAmerican Petroleum Instituteheld a town meeting to assure residents that their process is safe.

You want to learn more about this issue so you can enlighten your community.

Write a 2 - 3 page paper that addresses the following:

1. Inform your readers about fracking - what is it?

2. What are some of the concerns about its effect on health, safety, and the environment?

3. After analyzing the arguments for and against fracking, state your position about whether people's concerns are warranted.

You will be graded on your ability to express your position and support it with facts. You will not be graded on the opinion itself. In other words, it doesn't matter if you arefororagainstfracking, it only matters that you can communicate clearly and justify your reasons for coming to that opinion.

Required:

How Does Hydraulic Fracturing ("Fracking") Work? Retrieved June 1, 2012 fromhttp://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/tag/fracking/

Ignoring Reality, Stossel Dismisses Fracking Health Hazards (2011). Retrieved June 1, 2012 fromhttp://mediamatters.org/research/201105120017(This article has a link to a 6 minute video of an interview with John Stossel. Watch that so you hear the arguments in favor of fracking)

Joyce, C. (2012). Scientists Link Rise in Quakes to Wastewater Wells. Retrieved June 1, 2012 fromhttp://www.npr.org/2012/04/12/150460029/scientists-link-rise-in-quakes-to-waste-water-wells