Now it has dropped down to an affordable price of $3.77. The United States could then export the natural to sell on the global market. Since the world price is about $15 to $16 per thousand cubic feet, the profit would help the United States economy substantially. Fracking would not only provide a steady source of energy resources, but it would provide jobs for a lot of people. The gas and oil industry alone supports about 3.5 million jobs in the country. According to Aubrey K. McClendon, with continued investments, an additional 500,000 could be added. An example of this is the 3,000 jobs that Chesapeake, an energy company, has added in the first eight months in 2011 (543). Even the people who doesn't directly work for the companies have benefitted from fracking. Chesapeake has about one million people who has a lease with Chesapeake that allows them drill on the peoples' land. In return, Chesapeake has paid $9 billion in lease bonuses, $5 billion in royalties, and $2 billion in taxes all in the span of five years. It is evident that fracking has been beneficial to both the people and the economy, but has the relationship been the same for environment?.
Global warming, despite what deniers may say, is a serious problem in society right now. A problem that Engelder believes fracking can help alleviate. With the natural gas gained from fracking, it could replace resources such as coal in power plants and reduce greenhouse emissions by 50% ("Should Fracking Stop? 247). There are also claims that the modern wells uses too much water that it is having a negative impact on the environment. Engelder concedes that the modern wells does use more water, however, there are fewer wells per area. While it is a big concern for places that are generally lacking water, places like Pennsylvania, with its high rainfall, is a viable environment for fracking. There are also regulations so that there is enough water set aside from the wet season for use during the drier months.
