The Benefits and Environmental Risks of Fracking Technology
In the case of fracking, there are two political economic forces: the oil and gas industries and the state government. First, the oil and gas industries surely want to make a profit through fracking. But they also insist. That natural gas development delivers the national economic and environmental benefits as well. But, they do not mind doing any actions to keep doing fracking including campaigning. Against the opponents, legal actions and even threating messages (Jerving).
The government, having power to divide and distribute rights, is also on the same page. They may understand the potential risks of fracking, but because. They were supported by oil and gas industries when their government campaigned for the election. They approve the actions of corporations. The Colorado state government even sues their own community members instead of corporations for the corporations' profit.
When corporations and institutions developed new technology, the state government and environmental-related government agency such as Environmental protection agency (EPA) have decision-making power, a right to determine if it is safe for humans, it contaminates our environment and it has unexpected side effects in the long run, based on certain rules. Although the residents may directly suffer from the potential negative health effect of new technology such as hydraulic fracking, they do not have power to decide whether fracking can be approved or not to work near their homes because they delegate the authority of regulation to the government on the basis of democracy. Thus, the government has responsibility to address various environmental crimes and to protect human rights closely linked to the environmental issues caused by new technology. Unfortunately, nowadays, in decision-making process.
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The industries have a greater role in the environmental regulatory process. Even EPA doubtfully stops their researches about potential groundwater contamination from fracking (Manthos). As Couch and Kroll-Smith state, the society became that money buys power, and the justice of a true democracy has been threatened. Political- economic reforms are needed to take power back to the ordinary citizens.
Moreover, there are distributive justice issues related to fracking. Distributive justice, as John Rawls argued, is in a nutshell, justice in terms of the distribution of goods and wealth. In case of fracking, the exposure of the residents to the pollutants. Caused by fracking can be potential threat to their health. And environment around them, but they do not fully comprehend the negative effects of fracking on their environment. Drawing on Rawls' theory of distributive justice. This situation can represent an uneven distribution of environmental. And public health burden between the residents living near fraction sites and oil and gas industries. When fracking technology is at its initial stage, it was not that much dangerous to our environment (Manchos).
However, when it has been developed, fracking-related accidents started to skyrocket. While those who are in favor of modern facking still cites the safety of initial fracking technologies about 60 years ago (Manthos). While industries gain enormous profits from continuous developing fracking technology and some state officials received election campaign funds from them, the residents are exposed to health problems without any notice and restriction.
Rawls argued, this situation "must not permit some to have unfair bargaining advantage over others" (Rawls, 15). This infringe upon the principle of distributive justice cannot be allowed except for resulting in benefits for everyone, especially for the lower class society (Rawls, 13). In conclusion, while the oil industries and some greed politicians gain benefit from the development and deployment of fracking technology, the ordinary citizens living near fracking sites face the danger of negative effects of fracking, with no explanation.
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The Benefits and Environmental Risks of Fracking Technology. (2023, May 24). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-benefits-and-environmental-risks-of-fracking-technology/
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