www.nicsentinel.com
PERSPECTIVES
Free Blackfish Abbe Breeding Staff Writer In the early afternoon of Feb. 24, 2010, a SeaWorld trainer from Orlando, Fla., lost her life in a tragic accident involving a killer whale named Tilikum. Dawn Brancheau’s death came as a shock to those close to her and once again brought attention to the morality of keeping killer whales in captivity. Dawn’s death led to thousands of articles, news stories, and the documentar y film “Blackfish.” The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 19, 2013, and was widely circulated by CNN films and Magnolia Pictures. Blackfish focuses on the stor y of Tilikum, a 12,000-pound whale housed by SeaWorld, and the danger of keeping orcas in captivity. Tilikum or “Tilly” is the largest male orca in captivity. He has sired 21 calves and has also been involved with the death of three people. Tilikum’s life in captivity began on Nov. 9, 1983, when he was captured off of the east coast of Iceland along with two other orcas. Tilikum was first brought to Sealand of the Pacific, a public aquarium in British Columbia, Canada. Sealand soon became famous for its wild orcas and was a popular tourist attraction. Life for Tilikum at Sealand was difficult. He was at the bottom of the social hierarchy with the other orcas and was often bullied and injured by the other whales. Also, trainers at Sealand utilized the training method of food motivation, meaning food was often withheld from Tilikum if he did not follow his trainer’s instructions. Signs of trouble for Tilikum began after a few years in captivity. On Feb. 20, 1991, Keltie Byrne, a 20-year-old marine biology student, slipped into a pool containing Tilikum and two other whales. Byrne’s was dragged around the pool and repeatedly submerged by the three orcas in front of a horrified audience. There was no way to help Byrne, and she was killed by the three whales. Sealand closed soon after the accident and
Tilikum was sold to SeaWorld in Orlando. While living at SeaWorld there is strong circumstantial evidence that Tilikum may have killed again. In 1999, the body of Daniel Dukes was discovered draped over Tilikum’s back. An autopsy revealed multiple contusions and abrasions. The cause of death was determined to be drowning or hypothermia. But Tilikum’s breaking point was that tragic Februar y afternoon when he killed Brancheau, an experienced SeaWorld trainer. SeaWorld misrepresented the cause of the attack and made Brancheau the scape goat for Tilikum’s violence, despite his rocky histor y. SeaWorld reported that Brancheau’s ponytail got caught in his teeth and he unintentionally drowned her. But the autospy report tells a different stor y. Brancheau’s cause of death was listed as drowning, but she also received multiple traumas. Her spinal cord was severed, she sustained fractures to her ribs, jawbone and vertebra, her head was scalped, and her left arm had been completely torn off. SeaWorld claims that Tilikum did not attack Brancheau because he was driven mad by his years in captivity, but merely that it was a playful accident. Ponytails are common for both female and male trainers at SeaWorld, and before the attack they were not viewed as dangerous. The footage of Brancheau’s attack in “Blackfish” shows Tilikum dragging her into the water by her arm, counter to what SeaWorld claims. The best word to describe Tilikum is “psychotic.” He was likely driven to this state by a life of confinement and captivity. The research of orcas and their behavior clearly indicates that captivity leads to deranged animals. “Blackfish” raised public awareness of Tilikum’s stor y, but there have been dozens of attacks on trainers by other orcas in captivity. These whales are not bad whales. Many trainers reported Tilikum had been a joy to work with during his career. But orcas come with all of the instincts of a powerful, wild predator. They are dangerous animals. But even after
all of these “accidents” SeaWorld still treats them like they are their pets. Tilikum’s environment is not Florida. His environment is the cold water seas of Iceland where, as a young calf, he was captured and forced to live a life of confinement. There is no record of wild orcas killing humans, in the open seas off Iceland or anywhere else. The only place orcas kill humans is in captivity, where they do not belong. The captive environment that SeaWorld has created for their orcas does not resemble their wild habitat or the social groups that are foreign to the ones that are found in the wild. Orcas have ver y complex societies in the wild and only elephants and higher primates have comparable social structures. Because of this many marine experts question how humane it is to keep these animals in captivity and to deprive them from their families or pods. Killer whales are the only known mammals that live with their mothers for their entire lives, yet SeaWorld is notorious for separating their mothers from their young and depriving them of their special bond. Orcas’ captive environment is a ver y stressful environment because of the small tanks of chemically altered water. Their aggressive behavior towards each other and humans is a result of the stressful environment that they live in and this type of aggression is not common in the wild. In the wild orcas are known to travel as much as 100 miles a day with their pods but in captivity they are contained to only large pools. Although marine biologists have made huge progress on their research of killer whales, it still hasn’t changed the fact they are still in captivity. SeaWorld is willing to sacrifice the well-being of their captive whales to make money. The orca attraction draws millions of visitors ever y year and SeaWorld is not willing to give that up. The general public must start to educate themselves about the truth about SeaWorld and the animals that live there before spending money to see unhappy animals in a captive environment.
Let us take the math classes we need Dave McKerracher Staff Contributor Higher math is important. We all know this. It teaches us discipline, and it’s applicable in many areas in life. But why are those of us who aren’t going to use it for our chosen fields required to do higher math in order to earn an Associate’s Degree? It’s true that mathematicians and mathematics are vital to society–but so are car mechanics. So why don’t we add engine repair to our core curriculum? I just think we should have more alternatives for all of our core requirements. Speaking specifically to majors who will never be required to use even a third of the math found in their 108 textbooks, do we seriously think we’ll be doing 108, 123, or 143 level math in our future? Because if we don’t use it we’ll lose it regardless. Perhaps a solution for non-math majors would be a “survey of math” class, in which we could learn things that would be relevant to our futures. 108 though? We’re one of the only colleges in the country still doing this. What about other solutions though? Maybe the question we should be asking is this: are learning other languages or musical instruments less beneficial than mathematics? My guess is that this depends on if the individual is going to use it in the future (therefore not losing it), and if they are able to struggle through it without the quality of every other one of their natural talents and earned skills diminishing. Language and playing music both noticeably increase one’s abilities in
all other areas by elevating overall brain functioning (according to my Psych 101 class). So why aren’t these options for alternative core requirements in anything other than electives or cultural diversity? We’ve often heard, “You can’t just think with the ‘right side’ of your brain, you’ve got to develop the ‘left side’–else you’ll lose it!” People often mistake this as an issue of writing vs. math, or the humanities and arts vs. math and science. At least in my case, however, these are false dichotomies. I would happily take another couple of science labs in exchange for Math 143. Those broaden my understanding of the world in general, whereas 143 is only a stepping stone towards something I’m not going to cross over to. There is merit in the argument that we can’t just do things we find easy or enjoy doing. But, for some people, there are more useful challenging courses which could easily substitute for their weakest areas. This isn’t me complaining due to a poor grade. It is doable for me to get a good grade in a math class. The problem is, I’m not going to be graphing ever again, and therefore it’s bound to be lost. For those of us who struggle with math worse than anything else, we put hours into it every day. It’s not necessarily impossible, but this is time which could be better spent elsewhere. When drained from excessive math homework every other class suffers as a result. One has to wonder, how many students would our school retain if they had more alternatives for the classes which they are least compatible with? If there was a greater variety of alternative core requirements to be chosen in substitution for the math
section, such as music, language, engine repair, or higher logic classes, my guess is less people would drop out of school before completion. North Idaho College’s mission commits to creating an experience which truly engenders “life-long learning.” Not an easy task in our economically troubled times. With the rising cost of tuition, the ever increasing workload weighing down our underpaid teachers, and the overall quality of the college experience diminishing, it is little surprise that admittance and retention are decreasing significantly each semester. The current system isn’t working, and what I’m offering is a partial solution. Hopefully I’m speaking here for everyone who is sick of being forced to take classes which crush their spirits and deplete their natural aptitudes. We’re the ones who are being discouraged to reach our potential, and in the process are being taught to equate perfectly respectable disciplines with misery. For many of us, this inevitably leaves a bad taste in the place of an otherwise healthy respect. Like a child being forced to dance when she’d rather be taking piano lessons– ask yourself, what’s the predictable end result? For me, it’s like being forced to go on romantic dates with someone I appreciate but am not attracted to. We’re all different, and we all have our naturally set predispositions and acquired interests. Just give us more options. The current status-quo is essentially asking us to dig holes for a few hours a day, just to go back and fill ’em up later–minus the healthy exercise that would entail. Ok, end of rant. Time to get back to graphing.
the sentinel | 5
CAMPUS VOICES
How do you feel about guns on campus? Miles Cunningham 39, Psych, Houston, Texas
“There’s no need. If you honestly need a gun for hunting, why don’t you just go back to your home, stash it in a storage shed somewhere, so, is there really a purpose to have guns on campus? No.” Israel Nehemiah Musanda 27, Psych, Denver, Colo.
“For me personally, I really don’t agree. Because coming from Denver, Colorado, I just hear about the shooting at Columbine and what took place and the impacts they have in the high school and the community. So, I think it would be wise to kind of not have guns.” Amber Champaign, 17, Psych, Kirby, Ark.
“In some ways it’s a good idea, but in some ways it’s not. I feel like if you went through and got your concealed weapons permit, then you should be allowed to, but if not then you shouldn’t.” Rufflez Akaro, 22, Business, Detroit, Mich.
“For protection purposes, I only think some people should be allowed to, like the security guards, teachers… Students, no.” Ashton Clark, 23, Physical Therapy, Chicago, Ill.
“I’ve never experienced it before or anything, but protectionwise, I guess that can be an OK perspective, but if it’s more like trying to murder people, for that particular reason, I wouldn’t be as comfortable with that.” John “Risky” Boltz Staff Writer
Beau Valdez Photo Editor
www.nicsentinel.com
PERSPECTIVES
the sentinel | 5
CAMPUS VOICES
How do you feel about E-Cigarettes on Campus? Current farming practices harmful to enviroment, future
Abbe Breeding Staff Writer How much do you really know about the food that you consume and how it is produced? What will happen to our millions of acres of crops if we run out of enough water to sustain them? Many Americans are unaware of the threats our current farming system poses on the environment, as well as our future well being. Food is essential for providing energy to all living organisms and it there is a serious need for a more sustainable food production. Our current system is depleting our natural resources and polluting the environment. The Ogallala aquifer covers approximately 225,000 square miles in the Great Plains region of the United States and it is responsible for providing water for 1/5 of the nation’s corn, cattle, cotton and wheat. Our reliance of the Ogallala aquifer has gradually
increased since World War II and now we are at risk of depleting it by the end of this decade, according to a study conducted by Kansas State University. The state of Kansas alone is responsible for using 1.3 trillions gallons of water in 2011. The rate of water withdrawal has now greatly surpassed to rate of the aquifer’s natural recharge and if something is not done soon to extend its life, we will run out of water. The growing problem of water conservation is not unique to the Great Plains region. Countries all over the world are struggling with reliable water supplies to produce enough food for their villages and families. Solving this problem will not be easy for farmers but there are a plethora of possible benefits. Aquaponics is a modern approach to our current farming methods because it takes an ecosystem approach to the way we produce food. It is a combination of aquaculture, the ability to grow fish and aquatic organisms, and hydroponics, the ability to grow plants without soil. Together they create a self-sustaining system that can
conserve up to 99.75 percent of water, according to Ronald Hancock of Cal Poly University. The fish create ammonia with their waste, which is then converted into nitrate by two different forms of bacteria. The nitrate is then consumed by the plants as a form of fertilizer, while also cleaning the water for the fish. Both the fish and the plants are essential for this method to work and it gives farmers the ability to produce a sustainable source of protein and a sustainable source of produce. Aquaponics requires 90 percent less water than traditional techniques while also giving farmers the ability to grow 9-12 times more food per acre. The aquaponics system can be created virtually anywhere because an aquaponic greenhouse is smaller than a conventional farm. Systems could someday be set up in urban gardens for large cities, or even a smaller one right in your backyard. The possibilities are endless. Having the ability to produce food in a variety of different settings will cut down on travel of our food by 25
percent, which will decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. The food produced by aquaponics will also be more nutritious because 45 percent of nutrients are lost in transit. This system of aquaponics teaches us how to recycle our waste and conserve the valuable resource of “blue gold,” while also eliminating the need for harmful pesticides and artificial fertilizers from our ecosystem. We need to change our current farming methods drastically because of the dangers that conventional methods create. Investing money and time into creating an aquaponics system for yourself and your family will not only make a healthier you but it will help create a better future for our planet. The world needs to rethink the way or food is being produced and what we are truly supporting. The solution of aquaponics and having fresh food available wherever you go is attainable for everyone in this classroom. The transition will be difficult, but the preservation of our natural resources is essential.
Laura Flannem, 23, Business, Minnick
“They don’t bother me. It could be distracting to someone but it’s vapor. Its not harmful in my opinion.” Skye Bruns, 27, General, Cody, Wyo.
“I don’t personally smoke E-Cigarettes, I smoke tobacco. But on campus? I mean who cares, people are smoking regular cigarrettes everywhere.” Tari Holbrok, 18, Psychology, Vincent, Calif.
“I understand why people have E-Cigarettes If you must smoke, I feel like that’s a better option.”
Customer Disatisfaction Student Union’s food overpriced, problem for campus clubs T.J. Gossard Staff Writer There’s a long list of things that North Idaho College students want to see a change in. The bookstore prices, the parking situation, and all of those little spiders and webs that end up hanging around above the main entrance to the SUB. But I don’t need to build this up to reveal that the food is what students want to see change in the most, we already know that. Literally these things that are necessities, the nutrients that keep us alive throughout the day, are the issue at hand. Many students, especially those in the dorms, are stuck on campus all day and know, and dread, that they will have to eat at some point and miss out on some other thing they could have spent their cash on. This is everyday stuff, available in our homes. It’s overpriced, and lacking in nutrition. And this is a problem for students like me who have their stomachs growl-
ing and not much of a paycheck to spare. And for the dormitory tenants it’s that much worse—they’re stuck on campus, often with homework and time constraints from club duties or something else, and they’re provided food cards that will only be accepted at the SUB or in their convenience store. Their accounts drain with fair swiftness. But for the students who are athletes, it’s also much more troubling. They are stuck having to pay the high costs for food that is either the same and monotonous salad or veggie burger/ sandwich. If they go outside of these limitations, it’s either going to be a time suck or fattening. As far as the actual marketplace prices go, for less than the price of one handsized Turkey Club Sandwich, I could get a Foot-long from Subway. It would be more nutritious from Subway, and would taste better. I could get Little Caesars with more dollar-to-quality/ portions than the pizza. But that’s noth-
ing in comparison to the club prices. Clubs are paying $1 a can for soda, $11 a gallon for lemonade, and $15 for ten hot dogs. It costs $4 for a really good 10-pack of hot dogs. What is it about the kitchen that raises the value of the hot dog by 375%? Isn’t it a bit unfair that we could get the same value without it, provide for students and retain membership better, and sell them at a lower cost ourselves? One of the main reasons the kitchen is integral to the workings of the facilities is because a portion of the profits made there go to paying for club rooms and events. But if clubs could keep the profits from the foods they’d be selling at a lower cost, from possibly less labor, and possibly lower vendor costs, couldn’t the clubs better cover these costs themselves? They’d be keeping a larger amount for distribution to the same thing. That might read as if I think the kitchen should be gone or something; I’m not say-
ing that. At all. It’s an integral part of the campus, and I love the French Fries and Battered Fish Sandwiches. I’m saying that I wish we could be able to create a situation in which it would need to compete. This is pretty far-fetched stuff however, and I know that as I continue learning about the kitchen’s workings I’ll see different sides to the situation. But if the kitchen needed to compete with something, somehow, I have a fantastic thought that we might get great quality from multiple sides and more diverse food choices. The most common complaints I’ve heard from events are food quality. However, I have no way of knowing what would do what. But I feel without clubs having a more active say and stake in the food they provide, it’s a hindrance from professional realizations we could all use experience in. Making lasting relationships with companies, making losses that might directly influence the next event, etc. Isn’t that what students are here for, growth?
Carolyn Westrick, 18, Biology, Spirit Lake
“I don’t have a problem with people smoking E-Cigarettes but it doesn’t really make sense to me because it’s a tobacco free campus. If you’re going to smoke, I would prefer E-Cigarettes because you’re only harming yourself.” Thomas Sixbey, 22, English, Casper, Wyo.
“There’s a big difference from real cigarettes. I don’t think they should be inside buildings but I don’t see why they should bother anybody outside.” Nate Garcia, 17, General, Vacaville, Calif.
“I don’t smoke but it’s better than normal cigarettes so they can do whatever they want. I wouldn’t be against it.” John “Risky” Boltz n Staff Writer
Beau Valdez Photo Editor
PERSPECTIVES
6 | the sentinel
New anime show Jess Howell Staff Writer Many people are aware of anime, an entertainment medium that’s taken the west by storm. Most are based off of manga and light novels, with original ideas filling in the gaps. Others are well versed with Vocaloid, a popular singing voice synthesizer that has spurned it’s own virtual idols, complete with fans who adore them worldwide. Now, what if there was an anime, based off of a story, based off of a Vocaloid song series? Well, that concept has been made a reality with Mekaku City Actors. Produced by Studio SHAFT (of Monogatari and Madoka Magica fame), Mekaku City Actors is an anime airing this season that is based off the Kagerou Project, a fan made, Vocaloid song series that uses other forms of entertainment, such as manga and light novels, to connect the songs together. The first anime adaptation of its kind, Mekaku City Actors centers around Shintaro Kisaragi, an 18-year old hiki-NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) who hasn’t left his house, let alone gone outside, in over ten
>FLASHBACK from page 5
look back and say that those moments filled our generation with aspirations and hope to someday experience life moments like our TV idols. I personally watched
years. One day, he receives an email with a program containing a female entity named Ene, who then expresses his desire to keep him company. With his new companion, Shintaro continues his life of internet exploration until, one day, Ene’s actions causes him to spill soda on his keyboard, forcing him to go outside for the first time in years to buy a new one. After a long overdue taste of sunlight, Shintaro arrives at the department store just as it is incidentally targeted by terrorists, and he, along with other patrons, are taken hostage. While analyzing the situation, Shintaro notices that one of these hostages is acting completely unaffected,and almost happy. After a short monologue, it is revealed that he has mysterious powers shortly, which are then used in assisting their escape. After word, Shintaro is recruited to join this mysterious person’s group, learning that he isn’t the only one in possession of such powers. Mekaku City Actors is truly unique in the histor y of its adaptation, and has already provided enough variety in entertainment to keep the viewer more than interested after just one episode. It has only just started airing, but with just that episode it has proven that it is going to stay off the beaten path of anime.
a lot of MTV when I was younger and wanted to be like Carson Daly from “TRL.” After the Y2K scare was over; the world entered into one of the last iconic periods known to pop culture history. Teens of the early 2000’s can look back and remember a generation full of boy bands, cheerlead-
Monday, April 14, 2014
Music business changing Annie Stonebreaker Staff Writer
“They just don’t make good music anymore..” Everyone’s heard it… The thought has popped up repetitively for those of us who find ourselves enamored by classic tunes… The question is if it’s valid statement, or if it’s just a cliché complaint coupled with stubborn nostalgia. Last year in February, ITunes announced the total sale of 25 billion songs since its creation in 2003. From the year 2004 to 2009, about 30 billion songs were downloaded illegally. (5 billion more songs have been downloaded illegally in half the years ITunes has existed.) Other multi-millionaire companies like Amazon.com and Spotify have found themselves overwhelmingly successful in the selling of every kind of music imaginable. All this doesn’t take into account the growing number of successful musicians surfacing, and the many TV shows and businesses centered on finding the next big
ing rivalries, and being introduced to the world of underground car racing in “Fast and Furious.” It’s eye swelling when looking back at these moments and saying farewell to another great generation. It feels as if times have changed and when we turn on the TV set we come across vapid TV
artist. There should be no question for the growing demand and supply of fresh music. Technology and accessibility might also be a factor, but is there less talent now than there was in the past decades? Has mankind reached the ultimate pinnacle of talent and is just now beginning the descent? As drastic as that sounds, I believe the answer is a saying originated in ancient Greece. Found true to Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, and the philosopher David Hume, is the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Admitting that music isn’t as good as it once was, is like trying ice-cream for the first time, never to move on from the flavor vanilla. It’s like wearing clogs your whole life because they’re comfortable. It’s like taking the same road every day and never straying from the same parking spot. It’s like having a painfully awkward first kiss, and then committing to being single forever. It’s like buying the Louvre because you like the bathrooms. Complacency in today’s plethora of musical revolution is in its very own degree of despair. Music is a reflection on so-
personalities like Kim Kardashian and arrogant jackasses like Justin Bieber. The early years of the millennium will be remembered for years to come by the generation it influenced. We will one day look back and recall the years we spent glued to box size television sets; back when
ciety in itself, the many different turns and innovations will turn into a new album or style of music. It’s constantly evolving just like we are. Is there anything original and sweetly addicting anymore? Is there even any new thoughts or thinking anymore? Is it all a copy or mashup of something that’s been done before? There are 7 billion humans on this planet, which means 7 billion new thought processes 70,000 times a day. Think of this over the course of a century. There will always be the musically inclined who spend the majority of their thoughts on what they love to do and what we love to hear. The changes of each day accumulate in the limitless space that is our future. Every new day is filled with new sets of variables and factors that make every second a multitude of outcomes. What you need is that hunger for music, that hole that can only be filled with the search for the perfect song. You need appreciation for the sounds musicians coax out of their instruments and vocals with passion and seemingly invisible effort. You need to hear the final song without thinking, just be delightfully lost in the golden weave of raw talent and something you can’t quite place.
flip phones were still the cool new thing and cameras still required film. With a warm heart I say thank you to the great moments I lived through during the early 2000’s and say that you will be missed but not forgotten and I hope future generations learn of your greatness.
frick frack tallywack Hydraulic fracturing risky causing a stir in the enviornment for several different areas be “completed” by first removing all of the pressurized liquid. When the liquid is removed from the well methane gas bubbles escape into the atmosphere. According to research conducted by Cor nell University in 2011, methane is leaked into our atmosphere at rates two to three times higher than conventional gas production methods. More recent studies have found that emission rates have improved but fracking is still the largest source of methane gas pollution in the United States. Unfor tunately air quality isn’t the only thing degraded by hydraulic fracturing and the most central debate concer ning hydraulic fracturing is groundwater contamination. The pressurized liquid that is used in fracking is a mixture of water, sand, and more than 500 dif ferent chemicals. These chemicals are dangerous and when they are leaked into the environment the ef fects can be catastrophic. The natural gas companies that use the
O U S
S A G
GUZZ
G LIN
ER
D AN G
air
on i mi at m n a
toxic
D A M A G ty i l a u q
Y L AL T N E M
During the last decade the natural gas industr y has drilled tens of thousands of new wells in the United States to drill for natural gas.
fracking, is the fracturing of rock by a pressurized liquid combined with horizontal and ver tical drilling methods. This creates new channels within the rock from which natural gas is extracted at higher than traditional rates. The drilling process can take up to a month, while drilling teams delve more than a mile into the ground. After wards the well is cased with cement with the hope to prevent contamination and pollution. These horizontal drilling techniques, now being used in 28 dif ferent states, has raised environmental concer ns that challenge the adequacy of the cur rent regulator y regimes, especially on the issues of methane gas leaks and groundwater contamination. The air quality emissions debate sur rounding hydraulic fracturing are related to methane gas leaks originating from wells. A majority of the methane gas pollution occurs during the process of well completion. This is the process when the well is being attached to a pipeline and it must
ENVIRON
Abbe Breeding Staff Writer
Natural gas is viewed as a cheap, clean and Americanmade energy resource that enjoys the benefit of bipar tisan suppor t. Around 30 percent of our natural gas production is now coming from shale gas reser ves that, until recently, were not feasible for commercial use. While a majority of the population is enjoying the boom in natural gas production from this new found capability, the technique used for its extraction has proven controversial and has raised environmental concer ns. The development of the horizontal drilling method called hydraulic fracturing has been blamed from ever ything to methane gas leaks to flammable tap water. But it has revolutionized the natural gas industr y in the United States and has made mining in our shale gas reser ves commercially possible. Hydraulic fracturing, or
Y K IS R
fracking method argue that water supplies are safe and that there is enough space between them and shale gas reser ves to prevent contamination. But in most cases companies say little about their drilling techniques because they are cur rently not required by law to do so. To add fuel to the fire many of the investigations done on groundwater contamination are never seen by the general public. Many of the citizens ef fected by the polluted groundwater are forced to accept non-disclosure agreements and to settle before it has a chance to reach the public eye. Hydraulic fracturing has the potential to bring str uggling communities jobs and encourage economic growth but before for a constr uctive debate can take place it would require public access to all of the steps concer ning hydraulic fracturing. Scientific information about exploration, drilling, production, transpor t and waste disposal must be made available to the communities ef fected by hydraulic fracturing. W ith this evidence these communities can properly make an informed decision concer ning the risk of hydraulic fracturing. Some communities will avoid the environmental concer ns sur rounding fracking while others will welcome the development of new jobs, but they must have all of the necessar y information to make an educated decision. Too many communities throughout the United States have made decisions about hydraulic fracturing in the dark and are now the facing the consequences. More citizens need to demand this information from the federal gover nment to give ordinar y people a chance to make a knowledgeable decision.
co n t