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Man files lawsuit saying fracking contaminated his water and land

An Avella, Pennsylvania landowner has filed a lawsuit against an energy company for polluting his soil and water in an attempt to link "fracking," a natural gas drilling technique with environmental contamination, according to Reuters on November 9, 2009.

The owner of 480 acres in Washington County, southwest Pennsylvania, says Atlas Energy Inc. ruined his land with toxic chemicals used in or released there by hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

Water tests at three locations by gas wells on Zimmermann's property -- one is 1,500 feet from his home -- found seven potentially carcinogenic chemicals above "screening levels" set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as warranting further investigation.

In the fracking process, gas is extracted using a mixture of water, sand and chemicals that are forced a mile or more underground at high pressure, fracturing the shale and causing the release of natural gas.

Environmentalists maintain that fracking may be causing groundwater contamination and harming nearby water wells, and that it should therefore be regulated. The industry claims it is safe.

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see also:

Lawsuits PA Fracking Pollutes Water and Soil | Weitz & Luxenberg Lawyers
Fracking lawsuits rise due to water contamination in PA. Legal Options

Bill Passed Fracking For Natural Gas | Weitz & Luxenberg
Was your community harmed by natural gas fracking? Legal Resources