Stop Hydraulic Fracturing

We are fourth grade students at Ella Risk Elementary School in Central Falls. In civics, we are working on a project called Project Citizen, which will help us become active members of our community. Our class brainstormed ideas of things we would like to change. Our list included many things including getting strawberry milk at lunch, unassigned seats at lunch, and getting solar panels installed on our building. We decided to try to stop hydraulic fracturing(fracking) because it is harmful to the environment.

Fracking is the process of drilling underground through the shale layer. The shale layer is where the natural gas is found. In order to get the gas out of the ground, drilling companies force a mixture of sand, water, and chemicals into the ground at a high speed. The mixture cracks the ground and releases the natural gas.

The problem is the fracking process can contaminate the air and water as well as cause earthquakes and sinkholes. For example, methane can leak from wells during the drilling process. Methane is a greenhouse gas that can increase global warming. Other dangerous chemicals used during fracking can leak from tanks and contaminate water. Animals near fracking sites have become ill. Some people claim that they can set their water on fire.

Why should you care? Fracking destroys the environment! Although the process gives us natural gas, we feel that there should be a law against it until it is done safely. Team Four did research on the computer and determined that fracking has a lot of consequences. We agreed that there were more costs than benefits.

We worked really hard on this project. Please sign the attached petition so we can save our environment and our future. If fracking destroys the environment, then we all go down with it.

Thank You,

Team Four