Free Republic

A controversial method for extracting oil and natural gas from rock is prompting environmental organizations to action. But oil and gas experts say the fracking is safe and necessary to provide clean energy. The Marcellus Shale is a rock formation deep under Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. It's believed to hold 1.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Oil and gas company's use a method called hydraulic fracking to extract it. The process involves drilling a hole and pumping in water to fracture the rock to release the gas. "The fracking fluid itself is 99.5 percent sand and...

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Local and federal investigators were at a northwest Houston home Friday night where an explosion sent a woman to the hospital. The woman was opening a package left at her doorstep in the 2100 block of Seamist Court Friday evening. She had found the shoe-sized box in front of her home about a day ago but didn't decide to open it until around 6:30pm Friday. ~~~SNIP~~~ The woman was transported to Northwest Memorial Hospital with facial injuries that are not life-threatening. Officials with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as the Houston Police Department's homicide and...