Years ago, I read of similar problems with wells in Montana that were ruining ranch land and their limited water supplies, and just last week about the mayor of a small town in Texas who left town because of the health problems his children were suffering. Ranchers said they were losing ranches that had been in their families for generations because the tainted water killed their cattle. The mayor had worked for years to get some oversight of the drilling operations. But it appears little has changed. Though this article barely touches on the nationwide issues, it does a very thorough job of looking at a more limited geographic area.

this is the nyt own story, investigating records, talking with a number of sources inside and outside the industry and gov't who are part of the 'fracking' system. it reveals real problems with the process, particularly with drinking water and potential contaminants, including radioactivity. the story also points out flaws in the regulatory systems which are responsible to maintain standards which prevent health problems to the public. this is an important story which raises the questions which needed answering before the explosion of gas-well drilling in highly populated areas of the nation.