human
I've been hearing a lot about fracking lately. What is it and is it safe?
assistant
Fracking is a process used to extract oil or natural gas from shale rock formations by injecting a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the rock. It’s a controversial technique that has been linked to groundwater contamination, air pollution, and earthquakes. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says there are “uncertainties” about the safety of fracking, but they have not yet found any evidence that it causes significant environmental damage.