Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ overlays a major industrial operation on the land in areas where shale and tight hydrocarbon resources can be exploited. Every aspect of the fracking operation can cause environmental damage, although the damage from any individual well is both unlikely and usually fairly limited. Such damage has been extensively documented, giving the impression that fracking activity is bad for the environment. There is no yes or no answer to the question ‘Is fracking harmful to the environment’; rather, it is an issue that must be resolved politically rather than scientifically.

中文翻译：

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与压裂有关的环境问题

摘要

水力压裂或“压裂”覆盖了可开采页岩和致密碳氢化合物资源的土地上的主要工业运营。压裂作业的每个方面都可能造成环境损害，尽管任何单个井的损害都不大可能发生，而且通常相当有限。此类损坏已得到广泛记录，给人的印象是，压裂活动对环境不利。“水力压裂对环境有害”这个问题没有答案。相反，这是一个必须从政治上而不是科学上解决的问题。