Our need for energy is constantly growing in order to fit our changing needs. In doing so, we begin to change our sources of energy. We have resorted to other alternatives to reduce greenhouse emissions. However, trying to reduce these gases through natural gas plants will not give us the expected outcome that we desire. Therefore, we cannot pass this bill because of its methods to decrease CO2 through combined natural gas plants.
The most common gas people think of when talking about global warming is CO2. This is looked at only for its release when coal is used. However, another gas is often overlooked in the talk about global warming: methane. Methane is a natural gas often used in natural gas plants. When it is used, methane begins to leak allowing it to enter the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas methane is 86 times as potent to carbon dioxide effects over a 20-year span. Scientists measured methane emissions in the Uinta Basin of Utah. The emissions were close to 9%, which is equal to the annual emissions of 112 million cars. Methane’s climate challenge lies not during electricity generation, but further upstream—during extraction. One of the processes used for methane extraction is Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing pumps a mixture of heavy chemicals, water, sand and other materials down an extraction well under extremely high pressure in order to achieve the desired fracturing. This raises serious concerns because of the chemicals being used and their impact on the local ecology. Chemical contamination can spread into domestic, agricultural, and industrial water supplies. Some of the chemicals used for this process are Lead, Uranium & Mercury which are all carcinogens. Another
