Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates Pros and Cons of Fracking

On July 1, Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) will partner with the Aspen Ideas Festival to present its 62nd debate, “No Fracking Way: The Natural Gas Boom is Doing More Harm Than Good.” Natural gas, touted for its environmental, economic and national security benefits, is often thought of as the fuel that will “bridge” our transition from oil and coal to renewables. The ability to extract natural gas from shale formations through a method called hydraulic fracturing has unleashed vast, untapped sources—by some estimates, the U.S. now sits on a 100-year supply. But contamination from toxic chemicals used in the fracking process has been the source of increasing health and environmental concerns. Can natural gas be part of a clean energy solution, or is it a dangerous roadblock to a fossil-free future?

In support of the motion are Managing Attorney at Earthjustice—the world’s first and largest nonprofit environmental law firm—Deborah Goldberg and Katherine Hudson, watershed program director at Riverkeep, a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and protecting the drinking water supply of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents. Against the motion are The New York Times op-ed columnist Joe Nocera and Susan Tierney, former assistant secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy and current managing principal at Analysis Group where she specializes in the electric and gas industries.

IQ2US debates are streamed live on Fora.tv and air on more than 220 National Public Radio stations nationwide. Debates are televised nationally on the WORLD channel and in the New York area on PBS Channel Thirteen, WNET, WLIW and NJTV.

ABC News correspondent John Donvan is the moderator and the executive producer is Dana Wolfe.
 

Source: Shore Fire Media