Instapundit directs our attention to New York Times columnist Robert Nocera. Nocera thinks natural gas from the Marcellus Shale is a blessing for our country. The columnist deals with Cornell University energy opponent Robert Howarth:
Finally, there is the concern raised by Robert Howarth, the Cornell scientist, who says that natural gas is dirtier than coal. His main contention is that so much methane is escaping from gas wells that it is creating an enormous footprint of greenhouse gases. His study, however, is not exactly iron-clad. Industry officials have mocked it, but even less-biased experts have poked holes in it. The Environmental Defense Fund, for instance, has estimates of methane gas emissions that are 75 percent lower than Howarth’s.
Nor is Howarth what you’d call an unbiased observer. Although he told me that he had “a strong reputation, which I value, for objectivity,” he also acknowledged that he has testified about the hazards of fracking and sometimes wears a “no fracking” pin. (He does so, he said, “because I’m a citizen of the world.”)
Nocera takes a realistic view of Marcellus gas production, shared by South of 5 and 20:
The truth is, every problem associated with drilling for natural gas is solvable. The technology exists to prevent most methane from escaping, for instance. Strong state regulation will help ensure environmentally safe wells. And so on. Somewhat to my surprise, this view was seconded by Abrahm Lustgarten, a reporter for ProPublica who has probably written more stories about the dangers of fracking than anyone. In a comment posted online to my Tuesday column, he wrote that while the environmental issues were real, they “can be readily addressed by the employment of best drilling practices, technological investment, and rigorous regulatory oversight.”
Over thousands of years, mankind's standard of living has improved in concert with the increased use of energy. Let's face it, those opposed to energy production are really opposed to you.
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