144
health action is needed. However, given the vast amount of uncertainty, the RFF
study recommended that detailed exposure monitoring be expanded, and include the
systematic analyses of health effects on residents living near oil and gas operations
(Krupnick and Echarte 2017).
As stated back in Chap. 1 in the discussion about concepts of risk, the absence of
evidence is not evidence of absence. This is especially true for health effects, which
can sometimes take years or decades to become apparent (for example: cigarette
smoking, DDT, Agent Orange, PCBs, lead-based paint, and asbestos, to name a
few). Despite the fact that no direct connections between fracking and negative
human health effects have been found so far, it would be foolish to conclude that
none exist. The level of uncertainty requires that these issues continue to be investigated. Communities, physicians, regulators, the O&G industry, and others can benefit from an improved understanding of the potential exposures to chemicals and
other agents from fracking that may produce adverse health effects. As the saying
goes, knowledge is power.
8.2 Terrestrial Ecosystems
Impacts of shale development and fracking on terrestrial environments are primarily
related to the large amounts of land disturbance caused by the construction of drill
pads, roads, and pipeline rights-of-way. There are both short-term and long-term
effects.
The construction activity of the wells is relatively short-term, but it can be very
disruptive to local wildlife. The noise, lights and constant activity will drive most
wildlife away, and the animals may take months to return to the habitat after the rigs
and equipment are gone. This is a concern in state forests and other wildlife-rich
areas. The well installation activity may drive territorial animals in particular into
the territories of their neighbors, and there can be many years of disruption in mating patterns and other behavior until boundaries become re-established. The lights
can be very disorienting to birds, and mid-flight crashes into the lit-up derrick or
mast are not uncommon.
Impoundments on well pads for fracking water supplies often provide what is
called an “attractive nuisance” that may draw ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. As
long as the pond is filled with just water, it is not harmful to the birds or other wildlife. However, with the practice of flowback recycling, these ponds may contain
toxic organic compounds and high TDS brines from produced water that may pose
a risk to waterfowl. The ponds may also attract other animals like deer that come
to drink.
Impoundments are often maintained on drill pads for long time periods, sometimes years, if the operator thinks there might be a need to re-frack the well. When
the initial fracking takes place, fractures grow in the direction of maximum principal stress. However, there is no open space underground, and creating a fracture in
one direction causes stress fields to change in other directions. The hydraulic
8 Impacts to Human Health and Ecosystems
health action is needed. However, given the vast amount of uncertainty, the RFF
study recommended that detailed exposure monitoring be expanded, and include the
systematic analyses of health effects on residents living near oil and gas operations
(Krupnick and Echarte 2017).
As stated back in Chap. 1 in the discussion about concepts of risk, the absence of
evidence is not evidence of absence. This is especially true for health effects, which
can sometimes take years or decades to become apparent (for example: cigarette
smoking, DDT, Agent Orange, PCBs, lead-based paint, and asbestos, to name a
few). Despite the fact that no direct connections between fracking and negative
human health effects have been found so far, it would be foolish to conclude that
none exist. The level of uncertainty requires that these issues continue to be investigated. Communities, physicians, regulators, the O&G industry, and others can benefit from an improved understanding of the potential exposures to chemicals and
other agents from fracking that may produce adverse health effects. As the saying
goes, knowledge is power.
8.2 Terrestrial Ecosystems
Impacts of shale development and fracking on terrestrial environments are primarily
related to the large amounts of land disturbance caused by the construction of drill
pads, roads, and pipeline rights-of-way. There are both short-term and long-term
effects.
The construction activity of the wells is relatively short-term, but it can be very
disruptive to local wildlife. The noise, lights and constant activity will drive most
wildlife away, and the animals may take months to return to the habitat after the rigs
and equipment are gone. This is a concern in state forests and other wildlife-rich
areas. The well installation activity may drive territorial animals in particular into
the territories of their neighbors, and there can be many years of disruption in mating patterns and other behavior until boundaries become re-established. The lights
can be very disorienting to birds, and mid-flight crashes into the lit-up derrick or
mast are not uncommon.
Impoundments on well pads for fracking water supplies often provide what is
called an “attractive nuisance” that may draw ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. As
long as the pond is filled with just water, it is not harmful to the birds or other wildlife. However, with the practice of flowback recycling, these ponds may contain
toxic organic compounds and high TDS brines from produced water that may pose
a risk to waterfowl. The ponds may also attract other animals like deer that come
to drink.
Impoundments are often maintained on drill pads for long time periods, sometimes years, if the operator thinks there might be a need to re-frack the well. When
the initial fracking takes place, fractures grow in the direction of maximum principal stress. However, there is no open space underground, and creating a fracture in
one direction causes stress fields to change in other directions. The hydraulic
8 Impacts to Human Health and Ecosystems