According to Live Science, in the year 2000 there were approximately 276,000 natural gas wells in the United States. In 2010, that number soared to 510,000. The U.S. Energy Information Administration states that fracking is most profitable in Texas and in the Marcellus Shale area, which reaches from central New York to Ohio and down to Virginia. This timely volume explains what fracking is, how the process works, and describes the benefits and the drawbacks of this energy technology. Visually appealing presentations and compelling examples provide readers with context and inspire critical thought about the way fracking affects the earth.