MDN Weekly Update – Nov 27, 2011: Is Fracking Safe?

MDN left the previous poll up for a two week period to elicit more votes on the topic of where wet gas (ethane) should get processed: locally in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region, or pipeline it out to other locations like the Gulf Coast or Canada. MDN made it plain that we are not in favor of arbitrary government action to force private enterprise to select any given option—let the capitalist free market determine the best solution. However, we wanted to know what your preference would be, and most of you thought that keeping the ethane local for processing is the preferred outcome, given the choice. 

Where should Marcellus & Utica ethane get processed?

In the Marcellus/Utica region (cracker plant) (61%, 149 Votes)
Either is fine, wherever it can be done the cheapest (37%, 91 Votes)
Outside the Marcellus/Utica region (pipeline it out) (2%, 6 Votes)

Total Voters: 246

Is hydraulic fracturing safe, in your opinion?

Time to take the pulse of MDN readers (again) on the subject of hydraulic fracturing. Increasing, those opposed to drilling have placed all of their bets on what to most people is a little-understood technology called hydraulic fracturing. Fear mongering is the standard tactic—transform a term people don’t understand into something to be feared so that it’s very utterance raises concern. Problem is, the tactic often works. What do you think? Do you think that the technology referred to as hydraulic fracturing, which is most often used to mean the entire horizontal natural gas drilling process, poses a significant health risk to the general population? Register your vote along the right side of any page on the website.

Below are the most recent “top 5” lists and the calendar of Marcellus related events for the next two weeks.

Happy reading,
Jim Willis, Editor

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