STUDY: Fracking Chemicals Are Killing And Neutering Pets And Farm Animals

[limpyhobbler]

Exposure to wastewater from natural gas fracking has violent effects on livestock and other animals, a new study shows (h/t Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Pipeline).

In the latest evidence demonstrating the domestic natural gas goldrush has put the U.S. in uncharted environmental territory, Cornell University's Michelle Bamberger and Robert Oswald found that chemicals used in the drilling process (the exact nature of which are trade secrets, they report) often end up in nearby watertables.

Animals exposed to this water, whether through ingestion, respiration or skin contact, have experienced major neurological, digestive, respiratory and reproductive problems. In one extreme case, 17 cows were killed in one hour when fracking fluid was directly released into a pasture.

Among their other findings:

- Out of 140 head of cattle exposed to wastewater, approximately 70 died. And there was a high incidence of stillborn and stunted calves
- Of the seven cattle farms studied in most detail, 50 percent of a herd was affected by death and failure of survivors to breed
- One farm's Boxer dog whelped a litter of 15 pups, seven of which were stillborn and eight of which died within 24 hours.

Not to mention the human toll the researchers found: farmers exposed to the water through cooking or bathing experienced nose, throat and eye burning; headaches; vomiting; and rashes.

Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-09/markets/31040481_1_natural-gas-fracking-drillers#ixzz1lzEpG4MB

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Not according to Rick Santorum. He said environmental concerns are unfounded.

http://newsok.com/rick-santorum-touts-fracking-during-oklahoma-campaign-stop/article/3647481?custom_click=pod_headline_politics

[midnight]

2. Fracking is unsafe and we need to move on without using this technique...

[marmar]

3. Whatever fracking doesn't kill.....

...... Monsanto and agribiz will.