Illinois lawmakers are currently debating a bill (HB 2615) that would allow hydraulic fracturing to come to Illinois. Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is the process where a highly pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is pumped into the ground to fracture the rock deep underground and release the natural gas there.
If you are interested in learning more about the pros and cons of “fracking”, you will soon have the opportunity to read Under the Surface: Fracking, Fortunes, and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale by Tom Wilber. Wilber examines fracking with a journalist’s objectivity and allows all sides to have a say, from land owners to people in industry and government. Wilber is a reporter who has covered business, health, and environmental issues. In fact, you can find some of the articles he has written about this subject in our online databases. Under the Surface should show up on the New Releases shelf in about a week.
In the meantime, we also have the DVD of the 2010 documentary Gasland in the collection already. In 2011, Gasland was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
You can view the trailer for Gasland below.