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As the debate over the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing rages on, a new report from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s (SRBC) continuous water quality monitoring project does not show evidence of water quality changes as a result of natural gas development.  In an article by Kevin Randolph from the Pennsylvania Business Report, he reports that “in January 2010 the SRBC began measuring and reporting water quality conditions in small streams that could potentially be impacted by the natural gas industry.”  The SRBC water quality monitoring project monitors specific conductivity, turbidity and water temperature, which would reveal any immediate impacts from natural gas drilling activities.  One organization that has a particularly strong interest in this report is the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC).

Alternative energy is certainly an interesting concept in many aspects. Often referred to as “Clean Energy,” alternatives can also include solar, wind and water based production. As our current world tries to push for a change on how power is sourced, there has been an effort and an investment to change from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gasses towards alternatives to create sustainable and inexpensive options for energy production.

The Shale Crescent is located in the Ohio Valley and is the epicenter of the Marcellus and Utica Shale play. The natural resources make the region a potential economic powerhouse.