Natural gas can be found underground in more than two dozens states in the United States. While this clean-burning fossil fuel might be the answer to American dependence on overseas oil, the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing is causing severe ecological harm. Concise explanations of fracking will introduce readers to one of the hottest political and environmental topics of our time. Detailed fact boxes offer additional information about both sides of the debate, while full-color photographs engage readers with the havoc being wreaked on animal and human habitats.