Hydraulic fracturing offers economic boost and prosperity by utilizing the natural gas stored in rocks deep in the ground. Hydrofracking has made it possible to do something that was once too expensive to do. However, hydrofracking is not all good, and as much as energy companies do not want people to focus on its negative aspects, there are too many economic issues raised as a result of hydrofracking.

At first glance it may seem extremely profitable to pursue hydrofracking, but it is important to keep in mind that gas companies need millions of gallons of water from local sources for hydrofracking. Then they add chemicals that are considered “secret.” Therefore landowners that have leased their lands to gas companies have no clue whether any carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals are being used or not. For instance in Pennsylvania and Coloroda the chemicals that were used in hydrofracking reached the groundwater. Do we really want the same thing happening to us in New York, and contaminating our water sources which they supply water to millions of people in the metro area?

In addition, hydrofracking may help the economy for as long as it is in process, but it is harmful to the local economy both in the long-run and in the short-run. That is because most of the jobs created as a result of hydrofracking are not offered to the local residents, and employees from other locations will be doing most of the work. It will hurt the landscape, the view, the calm and the tranquility of the rural areas. This in turn, will hurt tourism in those areas. Once drilling is done, property values will depreciate. Hydrofracking will most definitely affect the air quality of the region as well, since the truck trips will extremely increase. Most importantly, New York City’s pure unfiltered water will be at risk. New York City water comes from Catskill watershed, but if drilling takes place then we are forced to spend $8 billion to build a filtration plant.

Economic disadvantages of hydrofracking outweigh its advantages. Benefits of hydrofracking are very minor compared to its damages. If drilling occurs, we all have to pay by far much more than we ever got out of it.