ABSTRACT
Hydraulic fracturing, as with any politically charged topic, is either lacking in unbiased, scientic research or is clouded by emotions and politics. Both sides of the debate pay their own researchers, who then likely produce results that favor their respective side. What should be a discussion based on science becomes a subjective debate (Hubner et al., 2013). Though industry-funded research may produce unbiased, factual results, the funding source may taint these results or encourage public suspicion, especially when researchers have a vested interest in the success of an oil and gas company. It is, therefore, the responsibility of public institutions that serve the public good to utilize the scientic process to produce accurate, unbiased results that inform public policy.
