MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Offshore fracking is posing a threat to California's ocean, air and seismic stability, according to a report from the Center for Biological Diversity published on the organization's official website.
"Oil companies fracking offshore wells are using incredibly toxic chemicals that can hurt sea otters and other marine wildlife," biologist and the organization's representative Shaye Wolf said in a press release published on its web-page Thursday.
"Offshore fracking also pollutes our air, and underground disposal of fracking wastewater poses an earthquake threat to coastal communities. The risks of fracking get clearer every day, and the Coastal Commission needs to stop the oil industry from using this toxic technique in our fragile ocean ecosystems," Wolf added.
According to the report, oil companies have fracked more than 200 offshore wells along the California's southern coast. The scientists have studied the evidence and concluded that California's marine life can be seriously damaged by toxic discharges, hazardous air pollution and earthquake risks, posed by injecting fracking solutions into the ground. A vital threat is posed to some marine species, including sea otters, fish and benthic invertebrates, because of the chemicals routinely used offshore in California.
Fracking is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground. Hydraulically pressured liquid fractures shale rocks to release natural gas stored inside. This technique is considered dangerous to wildlife. The Center for Biological Diversity warns Californian authorities of that fact and suggests California curb this method of gas extraction.
