In a new report, the top scientists in Texas have concluded that the hydraulic drilling process known as fracking pollutes the air, erodes soil and contaminates water.
As the San Antonio Express-News reports, the report also confirmed other studies that have found that wastewater disposal from fracking can lead to seismic activity.
The report is the most comprehensive analysis of the environmental and social impacts of hydraulic fracturing ever undertaken.
It determined that, while the shale oil boom of 2008-2012 delivered large profits to the oil industry and the Texas economy, the boom also hurt Texas’s natural resources and landscape, while overwhelming small towns and even resulting in a rise in traffic collisions.
The report suggested that Texas should consider a surface damage act to protect landowners, and shale operations should track changes in wildlife and vegetation over time.
