With the pressure on the United States to develop alternatives to fossil fuels and eliminate our dependency upon foreign oil, there is a race to tap into the natural resources available on our own soil. In the last decade, new technologies in hydraulic fracturing have opened up domestic shale gas and oil reserves. But the drilling boom has brought with it serious concerns over the health and environmental impacts of an industry that uses large volumes of toxic chemicals in close proximity to communities. As the natural gas development progresses, environmentalists, activists, scientists and citizens continue to press for regulation and corporate accountability. There also have been concerns over the tactics being used to stifle the opposition which are extraneous and unprecedented.

Sharon Wilson, the Gulf Regional Organizer from EARTHWORKS’ Oil and Gas Accountability Project recently attended an industry PR conference where she recorded representatives from the natural gas industry recommending using the US Army/Marine Insurgency Manual and also admitting that they employ ex-military Psy Ops personnel in selected neighborhoods. Although the recording of this oil executive has been played on cnbc.com and other media outlets it still has not received the national attention it should. Regardless, it does put the spotlight on a global concern regarding the amount of control corporations have within the United States. This in turn lends itself to supporting groups who are demanding immediate reform as regulations are put into place to enforce responsibility.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will be joined by special guest Sharon Wilson, who will discuss the impact of fracking, the tactics being deployed and why the public needs to be more informed. Stay tuned.