Repository for Oil and Gas Energy Research (ROGER)

Abstract:
Advances in hydraulic fracturing (aka “fracking”) technologies and horizontal drilling have enabled the extraction of previously unviable unconventional oil and gas resources. However, as global environmental...

Abstract:
Ecosystems worldwide have been subject to new or intensified energy development facilitated by technologies such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, activity that has generated concern for air, water, biotic, and social resources. Application of these technologies in the development of the Bakken oil patch has made it one of the most productive petroleum plays in North America, causing unprecedented landscape industrialization of otherwise rural, agricultural counties in western North Dakota. The region is isolated, and development impacts have not been well-studied. To identify concerns of citizens of the Bakken and determine how research and policy might support them, we conducted a two-part study: First, we held focus groups with resource management and community leaders in three major oil-producing counties. Second, we used an outline of the major concerns expressed by focus group members as a survey for landowners and farm/ranch operators. We found little relationship between survey respondents' reported categorization of energy impacts and actual land area impacted, suggesting factors such as attitude towards development, degree of compensation, and level of disturbance are relevant. Landowners agreed with focus groups on the nature of relationships between energy companies and locals and development impacts on infrastructure and communities; those reporting greater impacts tended to agree more strongly. But many specific problems described in focus groups were not widely reported in the survey, suggesting energy-community relationships can be improved through state-level public policy and respect from energy companies for locals and their way of life. Consideration of these concerns in future energy policy—both in the Bakken and worldwide—could reduce social tension, lessen environmental impact, and increase overall social, economic, and environmental efficiency in energy development.

Abstract:
As unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) activities such as “fracking” have proliferated across the U.S., research has begun to examine their impacts on human life. Much scholarship has centered on possible health and environmental impacts. However, a range of plausible psychosocial impacts has begun to emerge. Utilizing grounded theory methods and data from qualitative interviews with residents of two counties in Appalachian Eastern Ohio (Guernsey and Noble), we examined the quality of life (QoL) impacts on residents, who live and work amid UNGD. QoL impacts were reported in five core categories, specifically psychological stress, social stress, environment, physical health, and traffic. Psychological stress was a particularly salient theme, as residents living near UNGD found themselves anxious about the uncertainties of fracking; frustrated by interactions with oil and gas industry officials; stressed about noise or light pollution; and, in some instances, facing the possibility of moving from the region.

Abstract:
Prior to the precipitous drop in oil prices in 2014, the U.S. had experienced a substantial increase in oil and natural gas extraction due to technological advancements including horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. This increased energy development likely created both benefits and costs, but the net effects for local residents are not well understood. This paper examines the effects of conventional and horizontal oil and natural gas drilling in Texas on subjective assessments of life-satisfaction and bad mental health days for nearby residents. Horizontal drilling has statistically significant deleterious effects on well-being, but the effects are driven by the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area, an area with both very high levels of horizontal drilling and a large urban population.

Abstract:
New technologies like hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling have ushered in a boom of domestic oil and gas production in the United States. Oil and gas drilling often occurs in close proximity to where people live and work, creating the potential for significant quality of life impacts. In this review, we integrate across diverse literatures to develop a holistic account of how oil and gas development might impact quality of life in host communities. Our review suggests that the potential effect of oil and gas development is complex, as it can provide economic growth for beleaguered rural areas but also degrade human health, environmental quality and have other deleterious impacts. We conclude by suggesting directions for future research.

Abstract:
This paper applies Douglas’ cultural theory of risk to understand perceptions of risk associated with oil and gas development in eastern Montana. Based on the analysis of interviews with 36 rural residents, findings show the dominant perception of risk is most closely aligned with an Individualist worldview. Despite direct experience with oil or wastewater spills, most interviewees described spills as “no big deal”, viewed nature as resilient, and felt that the economic benefits outweigh negative impacts. Cultural theory was a useful heuristic for understanding this dominant worldview, as well as identifying points of deviation. For example, interviewees discussed the benefits of landowner associations – a more Egalitarian approach to dealing with oil companies. Some landowners relied on external authorities (e.g., sheriff) when dealing with oil companies, revealing a Hierarchical approach to issues they face. Interviewees expressed frustration with the lack of enforcement of existing regulations, which can be interpreted as either support for – or indictment of – Hierarchical solutions. While the Individualist worldview is dominant, our qualitative analysis reveals the complex tensions at work among rural residents. The results suggest areas where policymakers, advocacy groups, and residents may find common ground to address potential environmental and health risks.

Abstract:
The increase in unconventional drilling (UD) for oil and natural gas extraction—also known as fracking—in the United States has prompted a national debate with supporters and opponents who strongly defend each position. There are many important social, environmental, human health, and economic outcomes related to the practice of UD that have been the center of a debate about the practice. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the positive and negative effects of “fracking” on society at large using a social scientific framework. The first section outlines the process of UD and examines the health consequences of UD, the second section focuses on the consequences for the land and environment through interrelated policies, and the third section focuses on understanding the role of power and inequality on communities and individuals.

Abstract:
When a publicly held company proposed shipping wastewaters from fracking sites in the Marcellus Shale by barge over the Ohio River, public sentiment was strong. The people of Appalachia had suffered water contamination from accidents involving extractive industries numerous times in the past. This case study used qualitative methods to evaluate and measure public participation in permit proceedings in both the United States Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers. Our study highlighted public success in defeating the proposal to allow shipping of fracking waste by barge on rivers in the United States, but confirms the findings of earlier studies showing difficulties individual citizens have in effectively participating and engaging in federal permit and rulemaking proceedings. The study suggests that to reduce environmental injustices in future proceedings, federal agencies issuing permits and engaged in rulemakings should adapt procedures to expand Internet availability of dockets.

Abstract:
In recent years, the U.S. has undergone a boom in domestic oil and gas production driven by unconventional drilling technologies. Political affiliation is one of the most consequential factors for a range of environmental and technological attitudes but it's relationship to policy preferences for unconventional oil and gas development is less understood. In this manuscript, we consider how political affiliation impacts unconventional oil and gas policy preferences. We develop a novel understanding of "regulatory exaggeration" we argue that conservative opposition to energy regulations is at least partly a result of a misjudgment of the stringency of current regulations. Statistical models, indicate that, while conservatives are opposed to unconventional oil and gas regulations in the abstract, they endorse a range of specific policies more stringent than those currently in place. Further, political conservativism is associated with paradoxically believing that current regulatory environment is too stringent and supporting more stringent, specific policies.

Abstract:
Unconventional oil and gas extraction is fueling a wave of resource development often touted as a new era in US energy independence. However, assessing the true costs of extraction is made difficult by the vastness of the industry and lack of regulatory transparency. This paper addresses efforts to fill knowledge gaps taken up by civil society groups, where the resources produced in these efforts are used to make informed critiques of extraction processes and governance. We focus on one civil society organization, called FracTracker Alliance, which works to enhance public understanding by collecting, interpreting, and visualizing oil and gas data in broad partnerships. Drawing on the concepts of civic science, we suggest that the informational practices of civil society research organizations facilitate critical knowledge flows that we term “civic informatics.” We offer three case studies illustrating how different characteristics of civic informatics enable public-minded research as well as build capacity for political mobilizations. Finally, we suggest that empirical studies of civic informatics and its facilitators offer insights for the study of “engaged” Science and Technologies Studies (STS) that seek to generate new models of science at the intersection of praxis and theory.

Abstract:
Public acceptance is crucial for the implementation of energy technologies. Hydraulic fracturing is a technology widely used in the USA for natural gas production from shale formations, but currently finds strong public opposition worldwide, especially in Europe. Shale gas exploitation and exploration have the potential to significantly reduce import dependency in several countries, including Spain. To better understand public opinion on this issue, this article reports a survey targeting both the entire Spanish population and the inhabitants of the province of Burgos, the location where shale gas exploration permits have already been issued. Results demonstrate that half of the Spanish population opposes shale gas, and this opposition increases in autonomous communities that are closer to possible exploration sites. The results also show that socio-demographic aspects are not strong predictors of opposition. In addition, Burgos' population show different behaviours toward shale gas that demonstrates that proximity and prospect of shale gas development affects opinion. Finally, there is still a great level of unfamiliarity with high volume hydraulic fracturing and shale gas in both populations sampled.

Abstract:
Mexico's recent energy reform (2013) has provided the foundations for increased private participation in attempts to offset or reverse the country's continued decline in fossil fuel production. This country is currently on path to becoming a net energy importer by 2020. Conversely, in 2015, and for the first time in over 20 years, the United States (US) became a net oil exporter to Mexico. One of the strategies being pursued by Mexico to prevent an impending supply–demand energy imbalance is the development of shale resources using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques. Hence, an evaluation of the inherent risks associated with hydraulic fracturing is crucial for Mexico's energy planning and decision-making process. This paper draws lessons from the recent ‘shale boom’ in the US, and it analyzes and summarizes the environmental, social, economic, and community impacts that Mexico should be aware of as its nascent shale industry develops. The analysis seeks to inform mainly Mexican policy makers, but also academics, nongovernmental organizations, and the public in general, about the main concerns regarding hydraulic fracturing activities, and the importance of regulatory enforcement and community engagement in advancing sustainability. Furthermore, using the US as a case study, we argue that development of unconventional oil and gas resources in Mexico could lead to a short-term boom rather than to a dependable and sustainable long-term energy supply. Our analysis concludes with a set of recommendations for Mexico, featuring best practices that could be used to attenuate and address some of the impacts likely to emerge from shale oil and gas development.

Abstract:
The United States (US) began to experience a boom in natural gas production in the 2000s due to the advent of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling technology. While the natural gas boom affected many people through lower energy prices, the strongest effects were concentrated in smaller communities where the fracking occurred. We analyze one potential cost to communities where fracking takes place: an increase of sexually transmitted diseases. We use a quasi-natural experiment within the Marcellus shale region plus panel data estimation techniques to quantify the impact of fracking activity on local gonorrhea incidences. We found fracking activity to be associated with an increase in gonorrhea. Our findings may be useful to public health officials. To make informed decisions about resource extraction, policy makers as well as regulators and communities need to be informed of all the benefits as well as the costs.

Abstract:
The process of natural gas extraction known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a controversial energy acquisition technique often viewed with disdain by the public, due to its potential for environmental harm. However, the mental health and psychological well-being of fracking communities, including potential benefits and detriments, are often overlooked. We reviewed the literature on the association between fracking and psychological functioning, finding that although persons living in fracking communities may experience some minimal, initial benefits such as land lease income or infrastructure development, they may also experience worry, anxiety, and depression about lifestyle, health, safety, and financial security, as well as exposure to neurotoxins and changes to the physical landscape. Indeed, entire communities can experience collective trauma as a result of the “boom/bust” cycle that often occurs when industries impinge on community life. Impacted communities are often already vulnerable, including poor, rural, or indigenous persons, who may continue to experience the deleterious effects of fracking for generations. An influx of workers to fracking communities often stokes fears about outsiders and crime; yet, it must be recognized that this population of mobile workers is also vulnerable, often ostracized, and without social support. Practitioners, researchers, and policy makers alike should continue to investigate the potential psychological ramifications of fracking, so that effective and targeted intervention strategies can be developed, disseminated, and implemented to improve mental health in fracking communities.

Abstract:
New extraction processes have unleashed an oil and gas renaissance. The boom has expanded employment opportunities and swelled state and local budgets. The renaissance, however, has a darker side. Environmentalists argue that it harms the environment, hastens the deterioration of infrastructure, and inconveniences citizens. While states may enjoy the majority of economic benefits, many of its costs are felt locally. For some residents, these costs are enough to fuel defiance. Two such examples are Denton, TX, and Longmont, CO. Using spatial and political data, this article assesses which factors are helpful in understanding precinct-level voter support for fracking bans.

Abstract:
This article aims to account for the unexpected rise of community mobilization against hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in western Newfoundland, Canada, since 2012. The oil industry is a significant economic driver in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and historically there has been very limited organized local public opposition to oil extraction in the province. Moreover, the western Newfoundland region is characterized by economic hardship and limited experience mobilizing against development projects, factors unlikely to foster mobilization. Yet in 2012, highly organized, dynamic, and broad-ranging opposition to fracking arose in this region, contributing to the provincial government’s de facto moratorium on fracking and creation of an external review process, the result of which makes fracking unlikely in the near future. Drawing predominantly on fieldwork and interviews from across the region, we attempt to understand this rise of community mobilization first by referencing McAdam and Boudet’s (2012) framework, which explores the key variables of political opportunities, civic capacity, and community context. However, finding that this framework cannot fully account for the rise of mobilization in western Newfoundland, we discuss what we understand as the central factors in this case: the dynamics of local citizens building a globally informed yet locally resonant anti-fracking campaign. Keywords: hydraulic fracturing (fracking); oil development; community mobilization; Western Newfoundland; Newfoundland and Labrador

Abstract:
Unconventional oil and gas development using hydraulic fracturing has caused conflict and controversy across the globe including the U.S. where some States banned the practice. Nevertheless, North Dakota (ND) has supported the practice because the State perceives the risks to be acceptable and because it has brought growth and opportunities to small communities. However, social acceptance of new technology is based on a number of factors and not contingent on economic benefits. To date, no research has been conducted to understand public risk perception of hazards associated with produced water from hydraulic fracturing in ND. This study focuses on understanding the risk perception of select ND stakeholder groups regarding produced water management and naturally occurring radioactive material. The software Qualtrics was used to create an online survey, collect data, and perform statistical analysis. The most important variables that seem to influence risk perception are the images and thoughts associated with produced water, level of knowledge about produced water handling and content, and knowing how to proceed in case of a spill of produced water. Overall, social risk perception could be in alignment with actual technical risk if availability of objective information is improved.

Abstract:
How do people interpret ambiguous and uncertain events? This study explores this question in the context of unconventional oil and gas development, or “fracking”, with implications for natural resource extraction generally. Drawing on the theories of social representations and framing, we test the hypothesis that legacies of natural resource extraction – conceptualized here as collective schemata of interpretation – shape perceptions and actions toward new forms of energy development. Based on an analysis of survey data from the “Twin Tiers” regions of New York and Pennsylvania (n = 590), we find that negatively perceived legacies of past resource dependence, net of other factors, lead to opposition and political behaviors related to unconventional oil and gas development. Our findings suggest that regional legacies of natural resource extraction act as a sense making tool, working to translate the ambiguous, novel phenomenon of unconventional oil and gas development into something understandable in light of past experiences.

Abstract:
Increased hydraulic fracturing operations (also known as ‘fracking’) in the U.S. have introduced a larger portion of the public to new and more extensive risks and benefits: from concerns of impacts on water quality and human health to benefits from increased oil and gas production and local economic development. As most policy affecting fracking occurs at the state-level, it is important to understand how citizens’ support for the technology is shaped by their states’ industrial, environmental, and socioeconomic experiences. Using a nationally representative survey, we construct a multilevel model to understand how individuals’ support for fracking varies as a function of both individual- and state-level characteristics. At the state-level, we find that people residing in states with a higher poverty rate and higher ground water use for public drinking supply are more likely to support fracking. At the individual level, the relationships between risk/benefit perceptions and support vary as a function of the state people live in. Additionally, the positive relationship between conservatism and support for fracking is stronger for people residing in states with a higher poverty rate. Based on these findings, we discuss the dynamics of public opinion in social contexts and implications on energy policymaking.

Abstract:
Proposals to use the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract natural gas in the United Kingdom has been met with both opposition and support as has often been the case for new extractive industries exploring new techniques or applications thereof. An idiosyncratic feature of the debate surrounding hydraulic fracturing is however the seeming lack of congruence of the concerns raised by experts and civic opposition. The authors consider the potential implications of this fragmentation of fears surrounding the process for its future regulation. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract:
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is an emerging and growing industry that is having considerable effects on environments and health. Yet fracking often lacks environmental regulations that might be understood as governmental forms of care. In some locations in the US, citizens have taken up environmental monitoring as a way to address this perceived absence of care, and to evidence harm in order to argue for new infrastructures of care. This article documents the practices of residents engaged in monitoring air pollution near fracking sites in the US, as well as the participatory and practice-based research undertaken by the Citizen Sense research project to develop monitoring kits for residents to use and test over a period of seven months. Citizen sensing practices for monitoring air pollution can constitute ways of expressing care about environments, communities and individual and public health. Yet practices for documenting and evidencing harm through the ongoing collection of air pollution data are also speculative attempts to make relevant these unrecognised and overlooked considerations of the need for care. Working with the concept of speculation, this article advances alternative notions of evidence, care and policy that attend to citizens' experiences of living in the gas fields. How do citizen sensing practices work towards alternative ways of evidencing harm? In what ways does monitoring with environmental sensors facilitate this process? And what new speculative practices emerge to challenge the uses of environmental sensors, as well as to expand the types of data gathered, along with their political impact?

Abstract:
The relationship between emphasis framing and public opinion has received considerable attention in political science, psychology, and mass communication studies. However, what moderating role perceived knowledge plays in influencing emphasis framing remains unsettled. We explore this relationship using a survey-experiment embedded within a large-N, nationally representative survey that allows us to test two specific hypotheses. First, we empirically test whether an emphasis frame influences policy support. Second, we test the moderating effect of perceived knowledge. We test the emphasis framing effects of the name given to a hot-button political issue, while controlling for other survey treatments. Furthermore, we evaluate the degree to which perceived knowledge of the issue moderates the relationship between the emphasis frame and support for hydraulic fracturing. We find support both for the role emphasis framing plays and for perceived knowledge as a moderator.

Abstract:
Following the advent of hydraulic fracturing to effectively collect natural gas and oil, there has been growing interest in placing exploration and extraction wells in or adjacent to public park and forest systems across North America and Europe. At the heart of the debate about leasing public parkland is the concern that park acreage and accessibility will be lost to fracking operations, thereby decreasing park attendance. In this study, we apply value-belief-norm theory to evaluate park users’ general attitudes toward fracking and public policy and their perceptions of fracking's impact on their recreational activity. A survey of 255 park users in the Appalachian Basin of the United States indicated that individuals holding strong pro-environmental attitudes in general would likely avoid parklands that are affected by fracking operations. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported concern that fracking would disrupt park access and thusly supported legislative bans of fracking in public parklands. Management implications This study provides initial insight into park users’ attitudes toward hydraulic fracturing, especially how it relates to their recreational usage. Specially, the results indicate: • Park users are concerned that fracking operations near local, state, or national parks would disrupt the accessibility and usage of those parks. • Knowledge of fracking and the technological processes behind it is mixed among park users, suggesting that educational outreach efforts may contribute to greater support of or opposition to fracking projects. • Local, state, or federal land managers considering leasing public land for oil or gas exploration must work with policymakers and energy operators to mitigate both the actual and perceived impacts on park usage and recreational pursuits. • Additional research is necessary to evaluate the degree to which park usage has been impacted by park-proximate fracking operations.

Abstract:
Public opinion plays an important role in shaping the policy debate over hydraulic fracturing at both the state and national level. However, most Americans report having little to no information about this controversial practice that has transformed the U.S. energy market. Employing an experiment embedded on a nationally representative survey, we examine how citizens respond to arguments concerning the costs and benefits of fracking, and incorporate them into their policy preferences. Arguments emphasizing the economic benefits of fracking bolster support for the technique; however, these gains are completely canceled if paired with a discussion of fracking's environmental costs. Additionally, we find mixed evidence of partisan motivated reasoning in how this information is processed. Individuals whose partisan attachments and preexisting beliefs about global climate change conflict are particularly responsive to arguments about the benefits and costs of fracking. Our results have important implications for scholars and policymakers concerned with partisan polarization in public opinion toward energy and environmental policy.

Abstract:
Research across several decades has mapped the way complex environmental issues with complicated policy implications are often differentially framed within the media, public, and policy agendas with major implications for how they are understood, discussed, and decided. Building on this work, this this study compared news coverage of the debate over natural gas “fracking” in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina between the period 2008 and 2013. Examining state newspapers, the analysis evaluated the types of sources used, the assertions of these sources, and how the issue of fracking was framed. From a general perspective, this study reveals how differences in framing of an environmental and scientific controversy can be attributed to the locally relevant sources used in reporting, as well as the political, economic, and social factors that might be unique to a state. Specific to the debate over natural gas “fracking,” this study adds to our understanding of how such state-based factors influence the portrayal of the issue in the news media.

Abstract:
Over the past three years (2012–2015), the North Dakota Man Camp Project has documented the archaeology of home in over 50 contemporary, short-term, workforce-housing sites in the Bakken oil patch in western North Dakota. This article integrates recent scholarship in global urbanism, archaeology of the contemporary past, and domesticity to argue that the expansion of temporary-workforce housing in the Bakken reflects a global periphery that lacks infrastructure or capital to respond rapidly to the pressures of an increasingly fluid movement of global capital and labor. The position of the Bakken produced short-term housing strategies that embrace both traditions of American domesticity and global trends in informal urbanism. A series of practical acts of architectural intervention straddle the line between the ideals of fixity characteristic of the American suburb and the mobility of recreational vehicles. The archaeological and architectural analysis of the Bakken man camps documents new forms of informal housing and offers a glimpse of the city yet to come.

Abstract:
Shale gas and oil production and prospective development are increasing, but methods for shale extraction (‘fracking’) have been met with opposition. This study shows that informed discourse around shale development focussed on risks or doubts about benefits in a similar manner across the US and UK.

Abstract:
Oil and gas extraction via hydraulic fracturing is controversial, with government support but mixed public opinion. Deliberative research shows that securing public support may be difficult because citizens in the United States and United Kingdom are sceptical of government and industry motives.

Abstract:
In the 21st century, the U.S. has experienced a boom in unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). In part due to advances in technology, this rapid increase in UOGD has moved extraction practices into geographic areas that have previously seen little or no oil and gas development. As a result, conflicts over property rights have erupted—particularly in relation to split estate situations. To understand this controversy, we must situate it in the conditions which have shaped land use and mineral rights. We argue that past federal and state level governance decisions have created the conditions for UOGD conflicts today. Here, we utilize historical institutionalism (HI) to review the historical actors, processes, and institutions that have shaped how mineral rights have developed in the context of split estates in the U.S. We suggest that tracing this legislative and judicial history through HI is an essential foundation for exploring issues related to UOGD. Most importantly, we highlight these processes of governance as a bedrock for understanding spatial inequality inherent in current split estate law that grants the mineral estate dominance over the surface estate. We suggest that this codification of spatial inequality is problematic both in and beyond the context of split estates in UOGD.

Abstract:
This article applies the Policy Conflict Framework (PCF) to describe and explain the characteristics of policy conflict within the oil and gas subsystem in Colorado. We use data from a survey of policy actors to assess three cognitive characteristics of policy conflict: divergence in policy positions, perceived threats from opponents’ positions, and an unwillingness to compromise. Aggregating these indicators across policy actors in the subsystem, we find a moderately high level of policy conflict intensity, but we also find substantial variation in the characteristics of policy conflict across policy actors. To help explain this variation, we examine how interpersonal and intrapersonal attributes of policy actors relate to the characteristics of policy conflict. In particular, we find that insular policy actor networks, interest group affiliations, and rigidity of risk and benefit perceptions associate more consistently with conflict characteristics than political views, education, or experience. We conclude with a discussion of the strengths and limitations of this first application of the PCF and reiterate the need for theoretically and empirically rigorous measures of policy conflict.

Abstract:
Prior surveys have sought to gauge American public opinion toward shale gas development. Research on environmental hazards has produced conflicting findings related to the role of proximity in predicting attitudes. This study analyzes how perceived and actual proximity to active shale gas development in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas predicts individual preferences for moratoria. We implement a conditionally parametric probit, which accounts for geographic variation in coefficient values. Our results suggest that attitudes toward the potential benefits and risks associated with shale gas development play a larger and more consistent role in predicting preference for moratoria than proximity or other sociodemographic factors. Our methodology allows for inferences related to the extent of geographic variation in coefficient values. Our results indicate that the role of proximity in predicting preference for moratoria differs based on whether a respondent resides in an urban or rural area or within a shale play.

Abstract:
Prior research on the impacts of boomtowns on youth provides mixed results. Recent qualitative work suggests youth are ambivalent about change associated with extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. The Rural Youth Education longitudinal study of youth in rural Pennsylvania provides a unique opportunity to examine youth views about their communities before and during development of the Marcellus Shale. We use two waves of data from 10 rural school districts to assess differences in youth reports of how much they liked their community pre-Marcellus (2005) and during Marcellus activity (2009), creating a natural experiment. Youth characteristics, aspirations, perceptions of job and educational opportunities, and views about their community are included in multinomial multivariate logistic regression models to predict how much youth like their community. We find no difference in youth liking their community pre-Marcellus, but a larger share of youth in communities experiencing Marcellus activity by 2009 like their community “a lot” than those in areas not affected. The Marcellus effect strengthens when controls for other factors typically associated with extraction activity and views of community are included in the model, suggesting other, unmeasured aspects of Marcellus-related activity influence how much youth like their community.

Abstract:
Introduction: The past decade in the United States has been marked by an unprecedented expansion of unconventional oil and gas drilling, including hydraulic fracturing (i.e., fracking). Concerns have arisen regarding potential health and environmental risks associated with the use of the fracking process. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine community perceptions, concerns, and knowledge of environmental health issues related to fracking in three Texas counties near one of the most active shale plays in South Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale.Methods: A convenience sample of 153 adults over the age of 18 years in three rural South Texas counties completed a 46-question survey. Demographic information, perceptions of environmental health risks, and knowledge of potential environmental health effects related to fracking were obtained. A validated health literacy measure was also used to assess participants’ health literacy.Results: Participants were predominantly female (61%), white (75%), and Hispanic (62%). A majority owned land (53.6%) and had lived in their respective county for over 21 years (54%). Only 32% percent of participants had marginal or inadequate health literacy though a larger percentage of participants had limited knowledge of potential environmental health risks related to fracking.Conclusions: Approximately one third of participants had less than adequate health literacy as measured by the BRIEF. A high percentage of the population demonstrated limited knowledge regarding the potential environmental health impacts of fracking, suggesting limited environmental health literacy. Findings point to the need for environmental health specific assessments and focused environmental health promotion strategies.

Abstract:
The rapid increase in private sector proposals and permit applications to use water for the purpose of hydraulic fracturing has led to significant concerns in nearly every jurisdiction in the world where shale gas development has been explored. In addition to concerns about risks to water quantity and quality, in Canada, shale gas development has highlighted how the Crown (federal and provincial governments) continues to struggle in its approach to honor, respect, and uphold Nation-to-Nation relationships with Indigenous peoples. But moving beyond the criticism, we argue that these circumstances have provided a renewed opportunity to explore alternative governance approaches. Existing water governance challenges are exacerbated by historical injustices generated by resource management approaches that have exposed Indigenous nations to disproportionate environmental risks. Furthermore, the inadequacy of current water governance approaches to recognizing Indigenous rights, self-determination, ways of knowing, and values has been well established in literature relating to environmental governance and Indigenous peoples. Given these circumstances, if water is allocated to hydraulic fracturing in Canada with continued disregard for Indigenous rights and risks, we contend that this only further intensifies unjust environmental and cultural harm to Indigenous peoples. In the quest for solutions, we discuss the challenges to alternative models (co-management, collaborative governance, and impact benefit agreements) that are frequently cited in environment-Indigenous literature. We conclude with recommendations to address the unresolved challenges inherent in these governance models, in the interest of improving water decision-making. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract:
Using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM) and a novel method for measuring changes in educational attainment we examine the link between educational attainment and shale oil and gas extraction for the states of Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia. The three states examined are economically-small, relatively more rural, and have high levels of shale oil and gas reserves. They also are varied in that West Virginia is intensive in shale gas extraction, while the other two are intensive in shale oil extraction. We find significant reductions in high school and college attainment among all three states' initial residents because of the shale booms.

Abstract:
We utilize statewide surveys conducted in Maryland and Louisiana to investigate whether including the phrase “fracking or hydraulic fracturing” in a survey question influences self-reported awareness, perceptions of safety, or support for the drilling practice. We find that question wording effects are only present in the context of state support for additional drilling and only among Louisiana residents. Additional analysis reveals that the effects of question wording are contingent on partisan affiliation. Republicans are more inclined to support drilling but become less certain when the phrase “fracking or hydraulic fracturing” is used.

Abstract:
Evensen, D., R. Stedman, and B. Brown-Steiner. 2017. Resilient but not sustainable? Public perceptions of shale gas development via hydraulic fracturing. Ecology and Society 22(1):8. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09022-220108

Abstract:
The professionalization of environmental advocacy in the United States has pushed grassroots environmental activists to the margins of federal and state policy arenas. Frequently, individuals or communities who will be directly affected by environmental policy decisions are excluded from participating in policy discussions. Unable to compete with professionalized, national environmental organizations for legislative influence, informal, grassroots environmentalists are compelled to test out new models of organizing that leverage political power outside of institutionally sanctioned venues. This article examines the motives and outcomes of a grassroots social movement to prohibit unconventional shale development (“fracking”) through exercising home rule authorities in rural Southern Illinois. In Illinois, grassroots anti-fracking activists initially collaborated with a statewide coalition of environmental organizations lobbying for a moratorium on fracking in the state. I examine how conflict between coalition partners pushed grassroots anti-fracking activists to adopt new, localized models of organizing to achieve their policy goals. In these local efforts, I find that the same structural features of grassroots groups that enable strategic innovation also prevent the dispersion of authority in informal groups, ultimately undermining their creative capacity.

Abstract:
Projections—the way that people collectively talk about the future—shape action in the present. This sociological observation has implications for citizen science initiatives that aim to confront powerful industries and produce social change. When people participate in citizen science associations—such as watershed monitoring organizations, the subject of this study—their actions and democratic sensibilities are affected by the ways that organizers and other volunteers project the future uses of the environmental data they are collecting. In this case, hundreds of people are participating in volunteer watershed monitoring groups in response to the “fracking” boom in the northeastern United States. Most of these efforts emphasize the collection of “baseline” data, which they view as essential to future efforts to hold polluters accountable. However, these projects tend to channel public concern about fracking toward future scientific controversies, instead of political action now to prevent pollution. Furthermore, baseline watershed monitoring efforts reinforce the epistemology of regulatory agencies, rather than generating alternative forms of knowledge about watershed health. Organizers actively work to convince volunteers that their work has meaning and that they are being empowered, but future-oriented data collection is often at odds with volunteers’ current-day motivations. Scholars and activists have often heralded citizen science as a way to radically democratize environmental governance; however, to achieve this, citizen science must project futures that stimulate transformative actions in the present.

Abstract:
In 2015, Hopke & Simis published an analysis of social media discourse around hydraulic fracturing. Grubert (2016) offered a commentary on the research, highlighting the politicization of terminology used in the discourse on this topic. The present article is a response to Grubert (2016)’s commentary, in which we elaborate on the distinctions between terminology used in social media discourse around hydraulic fracturing (namely, ‘frack,’ ‘fracking,’ ‘frac,’ and ‘fracing’). Additionally preliminary analysis supports the claim that industry-preferred terminology is severely limited in its reach. When industry actors opt-out of the discourse, the conversation followed by the majority of lay audiences is dominated by activists. exacerbating the political schism on the issue.

Abstract:
The elements that influence the social acceptance of subsurface resource exploitation are analysed for a project engaged in unconventional gas production in Lorraine, a former mining area of France which now has strong unemployment. Champions of this project portray it as an opportunity to revitalise the economy in this hard-pressed region. Yet, social acceptability remains a key issue, particularly among people who live at the edge of the former mining zone and are not familiar with underground resource extraction. We examine the “social representations” of the population as well as investigate the roots of the contrasting representations we found in terms of the “distance to the object” concept that we introduce. We conclude that social acceptance must be considered both in terms of spatiality (distance) and temporality (historical).

Abstract:
Common pool resources are frequently analyzed with a simple template: the problem is the tragedy of the commons, and the solution is political institutions. Thus the tragedy of the commons is resolved by governing the commons. In this paper we argue that there is also the possibility of a tragedy of governing the commons. If political institutions lock participants into a certain pattern of resource use, and then there is an exogenous shock – say, a technological change – that increases the risks to one group, then the situation may no longer be a classic common-pool situation and institutions may actually exacerbate, rather than ameliorate distributional conflict. We develop a general model showing that whenever there is heterogeneity in private risks, some technological innovation could potentially turn a previously stable institution into a source of conflict. We take the compelling recent example of horizontal hydrofracturing changing the welfare implications of the institution of compulsory pooling, and use a new individual-level dataset of landowners affected by compulsory pooling in New York to demonstrate the empirical support for our model.

Abstract:
Shale development – extraction of oil and gas from shale rock formations using hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ – has become a critical focus for energy debates in the US and UK. In both countries, potential industry expansion into new areas for shale extraction is expected to produce a wide range of environmental and social impacts and to change the configuration of future energy systems. To engage with emergent views on these complex, multi-scale issues, we held a series of day-long deliberation workshops (two in the US and two in the UK) designed and facilitated for diverse groups of people to discuss a range of possible consequences and meanings of shale development. Amid nuanced differences between and within national contexts, notable similarities in views were tracked across all four workshops. Concerns in common were not limited to specific risks such as water contamination. Participants also questioned whether shale development was compatible with their visions for and concerns about the longer-term future – including views on impacts and causes of climate change, societal dependency on fossil fuels, development of alternative energy technologies, the perceived short-term objectives of government and industry agencies, and obligations to act responsibly toward future generations. Extending prior qualitative research on shale development and on energy systems change, this research brings open-ended and cross-national public deliberation inquiry to bear on broader issues of climate change, responsibility, and ideas about how shale development might undermine or reinforce the energy systems that people consider important for the future.

Abstract:
Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking''), a method of accessing natural gas, is viewed by many as a way to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, stimulate the U.S. economy, and address climate change. However, opponents of fracking argue that it is linked to health problems because it releases specific toxins that contaminate the air and ground water. In this essay, I offer a focused analysis of twenty qualitative interviews with women who live in Pennsylvania near fracking sites. The findings indicate that exposure to fracking has negative impacts on women's health by increasing their exposure to contaminated water and provokes gendered attacks on activism.

Abstract:
In many countries worldwide, unconventional hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) is considered a natural steppingstone toward the use of renewable energies against the backdrop of climate change. Although commercial drilling for shale gas has not yet begun in Germany, the public discourse appears to be creating more controversy than in other European countries. Based on the theoretical concept of "framing," we conducted a quantitative empirical study from January 2013 to December 2014 analyzing the coverage of fracking in three highly influential newspapers and political magazines in Germany. The results of this study provide the first insights into the discussion of fracking in the German news media and allow comparisons to the debate in other European countries. We found that fracking is mainly discussed in the economic context of securing the future energy supply while the potential risks of the technique are mostly ignored. We discuss our findings and try to explain the unbalanced reporting.

Abstract:
In this paper, I examine corporate environmental communication on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and industry efforts to shape public perception of resource extraction and its impacts on the environment. I look at how the oil and gas industry (OGI) frames fracking to ease public fear by downplaying risk and shifting its scale with rhetoric presenting the benefits of this emergent technology. Contrasting and building on ecological modernisation versus risk society ideas, I use OGI print advertising supplemented by corporate social responsibility statements and other online material to critically evaluate framing in light of the practice of corporate greenwashing. Findings reveal OGI efforts to positively portray fracking in the interest of unfettered resource extraction and profits from energy production. Several themes emerge in OGI framing rhetoric, starting with the establishment of trust through education and claims of transparency and continuing with ideas touting safety and responsibility, scientific progress, economic benefits and jobs, energy security, environmental protection, and sustainability. On the whole, such rhetoric reflects ecological modernisation ideas that shift the perception of risk and its consequences, framing fracking in a way that obscures the negative impacts of dependency on a fossil fuel-based economy.

Abstract:
Unconventional oil and gas extraction (UOGE) has spurred an unprecedented boom in onshore production in the US. Despite a surge in related research, a void exists regarding inquiries into policy outcomes and perceptions. To address this, support for federal regulatory exemptions for UOGE is examined using survey data collected in 2015 from two Northern Colorado communities. Current regulatory exemptions for UOGE can be understood as components of broader societal processes of neoliberalization. Free market ideology increases public support for federal regulatory exemptions for UOGE. Perceived negative impacts do not necessarily drive people to support increased federal regulation. Utilizing neo-Polanyian theory, interaction between free market ideology and perceived negative impacts is explored. Free market ideology appears to moderate people's views of regulation: increasing the effect of perceived negative impacts while simultaneously increasing support for deregulation. To conclude, the ways in which free market ideology might normalize the impacts of UOGE activity are discussed.

Abstract:
A simple explanation for why another's perspectives on unconventional gas development via hydraulic fracturing differ from one's own is that people are uninformed. Such an answer employs the deficit model of communication and understanding-shown for a quarter century to be inadequate for explaining public perceptions and behaviors. A more likely explanation, but far more challenging for an easy "fix", is that values fundamentally shape views. In autumn 2014, I taught an undergraduate course entirely on unconventional gas development (UGD) via hydraulic fracturing (often called "fracking"). I evaluated the effects of intensive education on attitudes about UGD by presenting my students with the same survey on the first and penultimate days of class. Overall attitudes changed little, despite substantial increases in self-reported knowledge and changes in beliefs about impacts associated with UGD. This poses a challenge for energy policies and regulation built off the assumption that additional education can readily change attitudes. I consider ways of approaching policy that respond to education's limited effects on attitudes about UGD.

Abstract:
The majority of shale gas studies so far have focused on environmental impacts with few considering societal aspects. This paper presents a first and most comprehensive assessment of the social impacts of shale gas production and utilisation for electricity generation, focusing on the UK context. The assessment has been carried out based on 14 indicators, addressing the following social sustainability issues: employment, health and safety, nuisance, public perceptions, local communities, infrastructure and resources. Shale gas is compared to a range of other electricity options, including other fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables. Where appropriate and possible, the social impacts are evaluated on a life cycle basis. The results suggest that extraction and utilisation of shale gas would lead to a range of benefits, including employment opportunities and financial gains by local communities. However, these are limited and countered by a number of social barriers that need to be overcome, including low public support, noise, traffic, strain on infrastructure (e.g. wastewater treatment facilities), land use conflict and availability of regulatory resources. Furthermore, shale gas does not present a notable opportunity for increasing energy security, unless its production increases significantly above current predictions. These findings can be used by policy makers, operators and other shale gas stakeholders with an interest in the social impacts of shale gas development. The results can also be useful for other countries planning to exploit their shale gas reserves.

Abstract:
Abstract In decision-making on the politically-contentious issue of unconventional gas development, the UK Government and European Commission are attempting to learn from the US experience. Although economic, environmental, and health impacts and regulatory contexts have been compared cross-nationally, public perceptions and their antecedents have not. We conducted similar online panel surveys of national samples of UK and US residents simultaneously in September 2014 to compare public perceptions and beliefs affecting such perceptions. The US sample was more likely to associate positive impacts with development (i.e., production of clean energy, cheap energy, and advancing national energy security). The UK sample was more likely to associate negative impacts (i.e., water contamination, higher carbon emissions, and earthquakes). Multivariate analyses reveal divergence cross-nationally in the relationship between beliefs about impacts and support/opposition – especially for beliefs about energy security. People who associated shale gas development with increased energy security in the UK were over three times more likely to support development than people in the US with this same belief. We conclude with implications for policy and communication, discussing communication approaches that could be successful cross-nationally and policy foci to which the UK might need to afford more attention in its continually evolving regulatory environment.