TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE

The report identifies systemic barriers to evidence-based decision-making regarding hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the U.S., including industry interference in academic and government research, legal loopholes in federal environmental laws, and a lack of transparency regarding chemical use. It highlights how non-disclosure agreements in legal settlements silence affected citizens and hide scientific data. The document provides a framework for communities to seek reliable information and calls for comprehensive laws requiring baseline and ongoing environmental monitoring and full chemical disclosure.

• Industry and government actors have created barriers to scientific transparency through the use of non-disclosure agreements in legal settlements, which prevent the sharing of data on water contamination with researchers and the public.
• Corporate interests have interfered with government and academic science, including pressuring the EPA to drop investigations into water contamination and influencing university research through undisclosed funding.
• Federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing is severely limited by the "Halliburton loophole" in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which exempts most operations from the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• State-level regulations are inconsistent and often lack mandatory requirements for chemical disclosure and environmental monitoring, leaving a "patchwork" of protections.
• The public faces a "noisy information landscape" where search engine results for "fracking" often prioritize inaccurate or biased content over objective government sources.
• Unconventional oil and gas development can lead to significant socioeconomic disruptions, including increased crime, strains on emergency services, and housing affordability issues, though it may also boost local employment and tax revenues.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fracking-report-summary.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE. 2012. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fracking-report-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE |date=June 2012 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fracking-report-summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2012toward, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2012}, month = jun, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fracking-report-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }