Hydraulic fracturing, also known simply as fracking, is a process used to extract natural gas and oil from beneath the earth’s surface. This process is accomplished by drilling a well and pumping pressurized water, proppants such as sand, and chemicals into that well; the result of this process is that fractures occur within the targeted layer of shale rock, which allow for extraction of the desired gas and oil (Hyder and Lerner 2250). As a cleaner burning fuel, natural gas continues to be an important prospect in the energy business. One estimate suggests that, “by 2035, shale gas may make up half of all natural gas produced in the United States” (2251). Hydraulic fracking, however, is not without its share of proponents and opponents.…