I guess it doesn’t take much to imagine how many spills go without being reported, covered up and the environmental damages on top of the earth and deep below.  There seems to be a serious lack of regulation and general disrespect for people and their land.  These operators do not bring enough economic value to allow them to get away with anything.  There are so many issues that need addressed before the next permit should be given.

I have mixed a lot of drilling fluid when working in the industry, some ingredients include caustic soda, dynadrill, calcium carbonate, large amounts of salt, polymers, and a lot of other chemicals and minerals such as wetting agents etc.  None of these belong in our streams, so why throw around words like low toxicity.  The fluid will still kill fish and the ecosystem; I wouldn’t want to drink it.

This is an example of industry downplaying it and anybody that disagrees they label as irrational.  These issues must be addressed and now by us as a society. We need to come together on the environmental front and tell these companies how we feel and what we will not accept.  The EPA needs to make huge efforts to see to it that any and all orphan wells be found and therefor plugged before hydrualic fracturing in that area. These things will provide jobs while helping the environment, and a sense of urgency is a must.