What's it like to live next to a hydrofracking site?

September 13, 2012 8:20 AM

I'm looking for stories about hydrofracking. Specifically, for stories about how a drilling company obtains leases and commences operation, and how it manages its relationships with the locals. Ideally I'd like stories from the perspective of neighbors and people in the local community where they have operated, but stories from the drilling company side would be interesting, too.

Books, articles, and personal anecdotes welcome. You are welcome to memail me if you don't want to share in a public forum.

posted by gauche to Grab Bag (12 answers total)

You have to login to read the whole article, but here's one from Texas Monthly.
posted by mattbucher at 8:29 AM on September 13, 2012

This American Life did a whole show on fracking awhile back. I thought it was really well done. Transcript is here, but give it a listen instead if you can.
posted by jquinby at 8:32 AM on September 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

The End of Country is by a guy whose mom's farm is in the middle of frackingcentral Pennsylvania. Well-written and engaging.

Sandra Steingraber has written some good articles on fracking for Orion.

And here's a bibliography.
posted by mareli at 8:35 AM on September 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

I didn't read it but this article on fracking appeared in Rolling Stone a few months back.
posted by jabes at 8:36 AM on September 13, 2012

Isn't that what Gasland is about?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:39 AM on September 13, 2012

WITF, Central Pennsylvania's public radio/PBS station, has been following this issue closely. Please check out their archived stories at StateImpact Pennsylvania.

"No Rest for Retirees: Fractivism Becomes a Full-Time Job" (on the StateImpact site) might be the kind of thing you're looking for.
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:55 AM on September 13, 2012

Check out this google group: Citizens Concerned About Natural Gas Drilling. It's anti-fracking activists in Pennsylvania.

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/citizensconcernedaboutnatgasdrilling
posted by natteringnabob at 9:10 AM on September 13, 2012

There is currently a shitstorm of drama happening around exactly this is New Brunswick, Canada. The locals are losing their minds over it. A little bit of googling (especially on the CBC) will result in a lot of articles about it.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 10:00 AM on September 13, 2012

We are heading to frackingville here soon in Southern Colorado.
posted by Isadorady at 10:04 AM on September 13, 2012

This site has some stories from residents near Blackpool, UK - and there are a few news stories about this particular site.
posted by shiny shoes at 12:28 PM on September 13, 2012

Here's a very informative article from the nov-Dec 2011 issue of the New York State Bar Association Journal.
posted by Corvid at 8:54 PM on September 13, 2012

The Fracturing of Pennsylvania, published in the New York Times Magazine.
posted by Tufa at 3:30 PM on September 14, 2012