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Environment

Blaze Review: FrackNation Documentary Offers What the Media Isn’t — The Other Side of the ‘Fracking Truth’

Jan. 22, 2013 9:40am Liz Klimas

Journalist and filmmaker Phelim McAleer just wants to find the truth. That’s what he tells a woman who produces her permit to carry a gun in a threatening manner when McAleer begins asking her questions on a public roadside in his new documentary “FrackNation.”

$fracknation_1$ If there is one thing that FrackNation, which airs to the public Tuesday on AXS TV at 9 p.m. EST, shows is how divided people have become over the practice of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) to extract natural gas. It’s the pro-fracking argument that has been little heard on a national scale — until now.

Those opposed to fracking seem to have a louder voice, and it’s one McAleer believes can largely be attributed to one man and his film: Josh Fox and “Gasland.” McAleer says in FrackNation that the results of Gasland have been detrimental to fracking activities around the world — and he is determined to find out if it was justified.

From the beginning, the creators of FrackNation have said their film was in direct response to Gasland, which was released in 2010 and its filmmaker has a current deal with HBO for a future sequel. McAleer’s quest for the “fracking truth,” FrackNation’s cheeky play on words, began when he investigated Gasland’s portrayal of flaming tap water.

McAleer easily finds evidence that flammable water isn’t necessarily new and also that it can be naturally occurring. He finds historical evidence of “flaming springs,” has residents who say they have had methane coming from their water wells years before fracking and even takes on Fox himself. McAleer attends a press conference where Fox is present and asks him if he knew about the natural occurrence of methane in water.

Fox shows that he did, giving dates of incidents when such cases have been reported, but said it wasn’t a relevant fact to include in his documentary. Watch McAleer’s questioning of Fox:

To be fair, a relevant fact that might have been included in FrackNation on the topic, but wasn’t, is that the drilling company Cabot in 2012 reached a confidential settlement with some residents in Dimock, Pa., who claimed the company’s fracking activity contaminated the water supply. Federal regulators testing the water in 2012 found it safe for drinking but previous tests by state regulators determined that the aquifer had indeed been contaminated with methane by Cabot.

McAleer shows the reaction of a family who was presented with federal test results that their water was in fact safe for drinking at the time of testing — the same that let McAleer know about her permit to carry a gun — and they weren’t pleased. Watch the footage in FrackNation’s promo video:

FrackNation also calls in experts and studies that debunk the threat of man-made earthquakes (one scientist said fracking should be the least of people’s worries) and health concerns (experts have said claims that fracking is associated with cancer lack scientific backing). McAleer also includes the perspectives of landowners who believe leases to gas companies will allow them to save their businesses and property.

In late 2012, the EPA released an update on its study regarding hydraulic fracturing, which is expected to be made public for peer review in 2014. Previous studies by the EPA have linked fracking with possible groundwater contamination, but the industry has said it is difficult to determine the difference between naturally occurring methane and contamination. Industry executives have also pointed out, as McAleer does as well, that when done right, fracking wouldn’t lead to groundwater contamination.

So while it’s clear that studies are still being conducted with regard to drilling, FrackNation pulls together into one film evidence that fracking might not be as detrimental to health as previously claimed; it might not be at fault for all groundwater pollution; and that it’s not the scourge of the countryside as many types of drilling are portrayed to be.

FrackNation shares the important perspective of landowners — many of whom are farmers and pointed out it wouldn’t make sense for them to allow a practice that would destroy their own resources on their land — who want to allow fracking.

It is also worth noting the novel way FrackNation funded itself. The entire film was put together by more than 3,000 backers on the crowd-funding site Kickstarter, which raised $212,265.

Overall, FrackNation is worth watching as it provides the lesser heard perspective on fracking in an entertaining, well-researched manner.

Tune in to FrackNation on AXS Jan. 22 at 9 p.m. The DVD is also available for purchase for $19.95 here.

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Comments (48)

jajjaaj
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:36pm
I know people will talk about how the occurrence of methane in the water started with fracking. How about a little history lesson. In the late 1800s, a farmer was digging a water well for his farm when he found the gas. Yep, digging. Not drilling, not fracturing… digging… digging for water. Methane gas has been in present in the water since the late 1800s. On another note, HSE and safety personnel are on site on the pad every minute of every day. They do not work for the oil companies, but rather are there to be watch dogs for any violation, including what the reach is on steps into a building. While many can claim EVERYONE is being bought off, that truly would be an impossible feat to include paying off thousands upon thousands of everyday employees. Plausible? Not even close.

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gsreagan
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 9:18am
Hydraulic fracturing of the oil/gas producing zones takes place anywhere from 1/2 mile to 4 miles below the surface of the Earth. There will be a steel surface casing (pipe) that goes well below the water tables and steel casing that protects the well bore (and formation) to the bottom of the well. The casing is cemented in place using centralizers, a practice that has been used for many decades. The high pressures are very localized and intended to ‘open’ cracks in the perforated holes produced by high velocity shaped charge plasma ‘jets’. Bridge plugs and ‘packers’ are placed in very specific locations in order to isolate the producing zones (usually more than one). There may be several ‘wells’ drilled in the same location, reducing the ‘foot print’. Most of today’s wells are drilled to a depth of a mile or so and then directed horizontally, increasing productivity. I would question the viability of any claim that water supplies are being tainted by this practice and that earth quakes are caused by fracking. The Earth’s crust is locally very stable with minor and major fault lines on a large scale. We are at the mercy of the Earth’s living geological structure and the solar variations. All we can do is learn to live with the evironment.

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peaceangel
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 8:40am
Also worth noting is that—– DDT, Agent Orange, Flouride, tons of government waste products and 55 out of 110 nuclear power plants leaking radiation into our ground water shouldn’t make fracking a problem.

There is no such thing as not contaminated ground water in America.

I can see why that guy is pee’d off. Any report saying our ground water is not contaminated is a joke and a lie.

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- Jimjimmy
  Posted on April 10, 2013 at 12:40pm
  We have the safest drinking water in the world! But you believe what you believe and facts do not intrude on your reality.
  
  Report this comment
cliffattheblaze
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 1:35am
Saw it. Loved it. I believe it will be on a number of times. It shows the level of ignorance that anti-fracking celebrities exhibit. It shows the lying on the part of the anti-fracking advocates. It shows the desire for “jackpot justice” on the part of the farmers reporting water problems. It shows how little the politicians actually care about their constituents – of course that should not shock anyone.

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Small World
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 8:09pm
Help! I can’t find it on comcast .

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DILLIGAF-26
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:16pm
@wowjustwow

Yer talking out of yer azz. I am in the environmental cleanup line of work and we work for the largest company in the North East area that is doing the drilling, frac’ing, tapping, and transporting the shale gas. We have dozens of employees who work in the town they live in. I have been to multiple pads that are in all stages of operation. They are more concerned about public opinion than Obama. Hard to do I know but true.

The rules are so stringent that if you spill drinking water from a water bottle on their pads you MUST report it. Drinking water. You should see their behavior when the frac’ing is about to commence.

All around us are huge massive shopping centers that have thousands of leaking cars draining into the sewers that run to our water sources. That is a disaster. But you want to pick your nose and whine about something you don’t know jack about. Just Wow indeed.

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wowjustwow
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:47pm
Anyone who supports fracking should actively pursue it being done on their personal property and then drink the water. There is overwhelming evidence (physical evidence) that shows precisely that fracking has caused methane to come into people’s water supply. Also, it’s a known that chemicals used are deadly. While you’re at it, eat some fish from Fukushima…at 2500 times the becquerels of cesium allowable, it’ll be a nice meal to go with that “clean” water.

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- FreedomPurveyor
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:17pm
  Please, do point us to this overwhelming evidence.
  
  Report this comment
- jajjaaj
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:25pm
  Yes please… show us your overwhelming evidence. Oh wait… your opinion is overwhelming evidence.
  
  Report this comment
TimAZ
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:12pm
The Anti-frackers are really going to get bent out of shape when they discover that the communist China govt. was given permission from Mao-Bama to buy stock in American owned gas and oil companies. At present China already enjoys ownership of one third of many of the oil and gas companies in America. This is the consequence of borrowing more money from China then can possibly be payed back. China is going to collect somehow. If it helps Mao-Bama collapse the American dollar then why wouldn’t he give America’s natural resources away. This news was released today from World Net Daily. Check it out for yourselves.

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SandyfromChesterfield
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:54pm
If you can’t find AXS on your cable station look for HDNet. The name was changed.

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- firstfox
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:27pm
  I couldn’t find it either until I typed it into “Search” and bingo there it was. My channel was AXS363
  
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- IOUQuidProQuo
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:10am
  Go to the AXS website >>>>Enter Your ZIP CODE to find a CABLE operator in your area http://www.axs.tv/about-axs-tv/
  
  I wish THEBlazeTV would make a deal to rebroadcast it sometime this year – hint hint
  
  Report this comment
The_Woofster
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:20pm
This was America, the nation that put humans on the moon, and you mean to tell me that we can’t develope our own energy sources here in this country safely? We could be out of debt, and send all kind of aid to other countries to satisfy the libs if we wanted to. But we don’t, and i can’t figure out why. Menawhile while we’re forced to drive a rollerskate, and “sacrifice”, the rest of the world is taking off at exponential rates of progress; China, Russia, and the rest. BUT we have to pay it, seems.

Where’s the technology to make fracking a vilable option? We can do it, if allowed.

IF ALLOWED.

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LukeAppling
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:47am
The people who oppose fracking are the same crowd that votes for Obama. They want to destroy America and remake Her in the image of the Soviet Union who murdered 35,000,000 of it’s faithful followers.This group are environmental wackos, PETA, Planned Parenthood abortionists, professors reaping grants from the global warming scam the democrats who steal elections and hate voter I.D.s,Hollywood elites, blue state frauds there are others but most of what is wrong with America are in this crowd and they should be shunned. If America is to become wealthy we must use our energy resources as Russia, Canada, China and 100 other countries do those not led by environmental whackos like Obama and his friends at the United Nations. Read what this is really about to understand Obama and the entire group. IT IS A SCAM!

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- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:02pm
  You are wrong, plain and simple. SOME people who oppose fracking may be obama supporters, but not all are. I loathe obama, but am on the fence on fracking … there is not enough information yet to prove one way or another if it is, indeed, causeless as to contaminating the aquifers. Depending upon which side they are on, proof is always provided for those that are funding the research. There is very little honesty and integrity in our world any longer.
  
  I don’t know anyone who does totally honest middle-of-the-road research on any subject today, and that is a huge loss to those of us who just want honest answers. If it’s not a problem, I’m all for it. But, one thing that bothers me is what is stated in the article above:
  
  “Industry executives have also pointed out, as McAleer does as well, that when done right, fracking wouldn’t lead to groundwater contamination.”
  
  How about when it is not done right? Who pays cleanup then? Who rectifies the problem then? If that is the model we follow, the penalty has to be so severe that people will ensure they are doing it right.
  
  And the other part of fracking that I do NOT like … is the mining of the sand they use. Breathing that sand in is not a good thing and it does get into our breathing air. I would fight tooth and nail against any mining operation in my area due to health reasons. I’m tired of hearing ‘Oops!’ 20 years down the road.
  
  Report this comment
- searcher619
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:25pm
  jhrusky:
  
  “I don’t know anyone who does totally honest middle-of-the-road research on any subject today, and that is a huge loss to those of us who just want honest answers.”
  
  The peer review process exists for a reason. When someone conducts a scientific study they write it up and then submit to the peer review process where their data and methods are reviewed by other scientists to verify no shenanigans went on. According to this article the EPA’s study is due to be peer reviewed next year. i never expect anyone who is currently anti-fraking to accept the study should it pass peer review.
  
  Report this comment
- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:00pm
  @ searcher619
  
  “The peer review process exists for a reason. When someone conducts a scientific study they write it up and then submit to the peer review process where their data and methods are reviewed by other scientists to verify no shenanigans went on. According to this article the EPA’s study is due to be peer reviewed next year. i never expect anyone who is currently anti-fraking to accept the study should it pass peer review.”
  
  Whom are the peer reviewers and who is funding them? I would think this’ll be just like the argument on climate change: “Yes it is!” “No it isn’t!” “Yes it is!” “No it isn’t!” ad nauseum. Whomever is paying the salary of the researcher/reviewer certainly seems to have an advantage.
  
  Report this comment
- leslie22h
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:56pm
  My political beliefs are conservative, but I’m very wary of hydraulic fracturing. I have watched Gasland no fewer than three times, and fracking doesn’t give me a warm, fuzzy feeling – I’m in no way convinced that the fracking process is the benign and environmentally responsible way for Americans to achieve independence from oil. Nor do I feel at ease when I read that “industry executives have pointed out… that when done right, fracking wouldn’t lead to groundwater contamination.” Industry executives are the guys who make the really big money from fracking – why would they cast doubt on the “safety” of hydraulic fracturing?
  
  Sure, Josh Fox made Gasland hoping to convince Americans that fracking is dangerous. Phelim McAleer’s Fracknation will have a difficult time convincing me that the chemical “cocktail” that gets pumped into these fracking wells is safe. There was one western farmer featured in Gasland whose groundwater was analyzed and found to contain high levels (not trace) of nearly all of the chemicals used in the fracking process, including benzyne and tolulene – do YOU want to run the risk of drinking something akin to Goof Off? I suspect that there are at least a few people who have commented on this forum that haven’t seen Gasland from start to finish – I say to you that fracking is some scary stuff – and I don’t scare easily.
  
  When it comes to drilling in Alaska, I say “drill baby, drill!” But there has to be a better way to extra
  
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- wowjustwow
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:07pm
  Watch gasland…if you think they are actors, visit them for yourself. Until then, shut the piehole.
  
  Report this comment
- wowjustwow
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:16pm
  JHRusky, so nice to see someone talking for the sake of truth seeking instead of trying to support a position at all costs. Thank you.
  
  Report this comment
- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:06am
  Gasland is absolute trash. It stunk from the moment I watched. Watch Fracknation. You cannot dispute it and the EPA findings either.
  
  Report this comment
- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:07am
  WOWJUSTWOW – Watch Fracknation. Seek the truth. Fracknation will set you free.
  
  Report this comment
MiCurmudgeon
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:26am
I am a retired engineer who has actually supervised well fracturing and as a result believe those opposed to the practice are a bunch of “Chicken Littles.” I also have family members and friends who have had natural gas in their water wells. The truth is that there are naturally gas bearing rock formations all around the Earth that are close enough to the surface to “leak” gas. The fact is the oil and gas industry got its start in Pennsylvania because of leaks to the surface.

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- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:06pm
  Not necessarily. Many of us do not know just yet. I believe that you can be safe with this practice if done correctly, but what do we do when not done correctly? Perhaps your supervision was 100% and you would never, for example, have accepted a bribe to look the other way, but it happens. I don’t know how we get past that. When something underhanded goes on and a problem develops, all the company has to do is file bankruptcy and problem goes away. It happens and I have seen it (not in fracking, but other irresponsible behavior).
  
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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:08am
  Wrong – these fracking wells require tons of permits and are extremely supervised.
  
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SanMoo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:36am
Josh Faux—–Fake truths come out of his mouth. Enough said.

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strawberry411a
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:26am
“They ” are going after fracking and big oil just like they did tobacco. Anyone making money is the enemy…….ironically the same people that hate big tobacco appear to have no problem with the legalization of pot. They are all hypocrites.

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- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:09pm
  No, not at all. Big tobacco is not good for anyone. If you want to destroy your lungs, by all means, go for it (and I smoked for 19 years before I quit 13 years ago). But, when your second-hand smoke invades my air space, it becomes my business. You know the old saying, your rights end where mine begin.
  
  Truly, I don’t care if someone wants to smoke as that is a personal decision, but I don’t want it in the restaurant I am eating in, or in any other public space where I have to breathe in that smoke. Additionally, I don’t want my insure rates continually climbing because of self-inflicted harm. And those things are happening, thus the reason many are against big tobacco.
  
  Report this comment
RolandofGilead
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:26am
I live in the west. The problem is not with the fracking, it is a viable process that allows more gas to come out of the ground. The problem IS with the chemicals that they use to do it, most of them if not all are known carcinogens! There are other clean substances that could be used but the drilling companies refuse to do it. WAKE UP PEOPLE, they keep pumping poison into the ground !!! This will come back to haunt all of us and our children!!

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- AntonW
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:33am
  That is nonsense! There are more toxins in the road salt that’s spread all over the roads in the winter. You anti-fracking chicken littles are wrong on this and your side will not prevail at the end of the day.
  
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- Pokerjoe
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:40am
  If fracking is so bad. There would be no good water left here on Oklahoma. We have about 300,000 well’s here in this state. No bad water from that. Truth is you should go and see how they frack a well and just how deep it goes and how far it is from good water. Good water is down as far as 300 feet+-. When they frack a well it is as far as 20,000 feet+. No way it could hurt clean water.
  
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- searcher619
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:30pm
  Ummm… Oil is bad for you when ingested as well. So is the gas… fact is the EPA, the draconian environmental watchdog of the federal government, found Fraking to be safe. We are surrounded by dangerous chemicals and compounds every day. It’s part of living in modern society. Your comment sounds disingenuous to me.
  
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logicmatters
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:14am
Er, as per the headline, do the editors here at the Blaze know that the other side of the truth is called a lie. So, by definition, the book “FrackNation” is all lies if it is trying to counter the truth told by the so-called Left.

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- AntonW
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:19am
  Except the headline reads “Fracking Truth” in quotes, so your comment is without merit.
  
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Cavallo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:01am
The left wants to make sure that any cheap energy is outlawed. They’ll use junk science, scare tactics, and misdirection and deception to ensure that the western way of life is destroyed. Cheap energy creates more freedom and specifically freedom from government. In all ways in all things the left wishes to enslave you to government.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:54am
It’s good to see the truth about fracking getting out there instead of the propaganda from the radical so called environmentalists that control our energy policy. Gasland is pure propaganda for the whack job ‘environmentalists’ and pushers of the so called ‘green energy’ BS movement. We have more oil and gas here in the U.S than any other country and it can be exploited safely with fracking. We have four more years of the green energy idiot so look forward to higher energy costs,something to do with forcing us to buy into the BS lie that is ‘green energy’.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:19am
  Is it really getting out there? I bet a majority of American lemmings think it’s “evil”.
  
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- AntonW
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:27am
  We’ve been fighting this battle wih the lying lemmings of the left for years here in NY state. Our land has $80,000,000+ of clean burning natural gas reserves under it, yet we are not permitted to tap it, so we shovel animal manure and sell eggs instead. Then we fill our rust buckets will $3.87 a gallon gas and send our money to the Arabs. Ain’t New York great?
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:45am
  Gonzo We have to start somewhere,at least McAleer is doing his part in exposing the propagandist Josh Fox for what he is. I know the left has Hollywood and 99.99999% of the so called media and we have a huge task ahead of us but we have to fight them, we can’t lay down.
  
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- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 12:21pm
  Why is green energy a lie? I know a few people living off grid and living well. I know others with grid-tie solar systems and they, too, live well. It’s not cheap, but it is renewable.
  
  I suspect you are overexaggerating with your statement that green energy is a lie, so if I’m wrong, I certainly do not want to accuse you of that. But if you truly believe that, I would like to understand why. I love this earth and want to ensure my grandkids have as beautiful and fresh of an environment that I have had, just like I want them the same opportunities to experience the ‘American Dream’ that I have had.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:31pm
  JHRUSKY I should clarify,solar is probably fine for an iddividual but on a massive scale for a city it isn’t practical. We have natural gas that’s clean but won’t be exploited because it isn’t part of Barry’s green agenda. I’d like to see more nuclear power as well,and in my back yard.
  
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- jhrusky
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:57pm
  @ progressiveslayer
  
  “I should clarify,solar is probably fine for an iddividual but on a massive scale for a city it isn’t practical.”
  
  OK … on that we agree. I believe the reason it’s not practical is simply the cost of storage is just too high. Until we can find other ways to store such created electricity that will be a problem. That’s why I am pro- financing some true research to assist with this.
  
  “We have natural gas that’s clean but won’t be exploited because it isn’t part of Barry’s green agenda. I’d like to see more nuclear power as well,and in my back yard.”
  
  Well, I’m not sure natural gas is ‘clean’, unless you are comparing it to oil or coal in which case it is cleanER. If we can eventually get away from burning a fuel to obtain our electricity, I think that is the best option. I am not opposed to nuclear so long as there are enough fail-safes to ensure no ‘accidents’ (failsafes like not building them on a fault line, for example). The problem with nuclear otherwise is only 1 mistake and it takes 50,000 years to clean it up.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:12pm
  JHRUSKY We have a model to see if ‘green energy’ is viable and Spain tried it and failed with their wind farms. Here’s the link. http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2009/09/24/spanish-prof-to-congress-avoid-spains-failed-experiment-with-green-jobs/
  
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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:11am
  Green energy is a lie. It cannot produce enough, at a fast enough rate. There is only so many rare earth materials available. Mostly from China. The process of making them is very dirty.
  
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Gonzo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:54am
If it’s not wind or solar, it’s evil according to the American left.

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AntonW
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:48am
Josh Fox should change his last name to FOS. It would really be much more appropriate.

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