Paul Chesser and Mark Newgent at the American Tradition Institute have published a report which identifies the well-heeled opposition to fracking, exposing the lies being peddled about the practice and demonstrating that the propaganda power lies not with the industry but with its opponents. From the report’s conclusion:
To listen to environmental groups and liberal activists, one might think the fossil-fuel industry — especially natural gas in Pennsylvania — controls the levers of power in Harrisburg and Washington with their vast financial resources. While they certainly have the resources to try to prevent government from over-taxing and over-regulating an already heavily taxed and regulated industry, it is not at the expense of their opponents.
As illustrated by this policy brief, opponents of natural gas exploration and its processes do not lack for money or mouthpieces. The gas industry has multimillionaires such as the Sandlers and Heinzs attacking it; a journalistic organization in ProPublica that has exceeded 100 articles dedicated to ginning up anti-drilling paranoia; dozens of well-heeled environmental groups that exaggerate or outright deceive the public about the impacts of gas drilling; and an Oscar-nominated film producer spreading disinformation across the country.
Meanwhile, the gas industry continues to explore and innovate, safely using the hydraulic fracturing processes that have enabled Pennsylvania to access important natural resources, creating jobs and keeping energy prices low. It is not a business without risks, but its enemies would be recognized as having greater integrity if they stopped demonizing with a broad brush, told the entire truth, and worked collaboratively with natural gas to attain their environmental goals.
The whole report here.