According to news reports, two key federal agencies have given the green light to fracking off the coast of California. This is a dangerously stupid decision.
Neither the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement nor the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management could find any reason to expect negative impacts on the California coast or the ocean from allowing the issuance of the drilling permits that cover fracking techniques. In view of the national experience with fracking over the past several years, this decision is a head-scratcher. The numerous known harms that result from fracking are bad enough. But thanks to the collusion of private companies and federal officials charged with governing the issue, very little deep study has been conducted.
Clearly, the Obama Administration is interested only in paying lip service to the environmentalists who continue to wage a thankless uphill battle against the human causes of global climate change. It is sad, really. The fate of humanity hangs in the balance and we as a nation would rather focus on short-term economic goals rather than the much broader and bigger picture.
We will pay the price.