Avoidable "Fraccident": An Argument Against Strict Liability for Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” recently has grabbed the attention of headlines, filmmakers, and even late night comedians. The reason is a revolution in unconventional “shale gas” drilling. Shale gas is natural gas trapped in deep, impermeable shale rock formations; fracking is essential to its cost-effective production. The United States increasingly relies on these unconventional sources of natural gas for its energy needs. Therefore, the United States increasingly relies on fracking.