Monday, September 8, 2014

A Resurgence in American Industrial Labor

America's modern economy has often been called a "service economy," notorious for outsourcing blue-collar, industrial labor to other countries. However, after the Great Recession of 2008, many business owners, especially in the middle of the country, see extracting America's own energy resources as a potentially lucrative business endeavor. Pictured below is one of energy giant Vallourec's thriving energy plants located in Ohio as described in a recent New York Times article. The plant is one of many that employs the environmentally questionable practice of "fracking," the process of forcibly drilling and extracting resources from sheets of rock.




Local energy production is booming. According to the article, American oil field production this year is up to about 11 million barrels per day compared to less than 7 million barrels per day in 2006. In addition, Ohio appears to be ripe for this kind of production with its decreasing unemployment rates.

Nevertheless, environmental opposition exists. This year, for example, California denounced the process of fracking and its potentially harmful effects on drinking water.

In my opinion, I do not think that a thriving local energy economy is worth the harmful environmental effects. What do you think? Should companies create energy initiatives on American soil? To tie this issue into our current unit, do you believe that regulating fracking falls under the "necessary and proper" powers of Congress in accordance with the commerce clause? Or should energy legislation be left up to the states? Perhaps a mix of the two (dual federalism)?


2 comments:

Unknown said...

12163Unclean and nonrenewable energy initiatives should not only be banned from being created in America, but all around the world. When we outsource “dirty energy” to other parts of the world, it affects the US as well. I personally think it is too much of a stretch, but the combination of the necessary and proper clause and commerce clause can be combined to limit or outlaw fracking oil sales over state lines. Shipping oil over state lines can be limited by stating that it conflicts with the interest of public health and the environment. Because of this large stretch, it would be much less controversial if the federal government just let states deal with their environmental policies, even though the states may not consider the importance of the environment in their decisions.

Anonymous said...

While the economic benefits of fracking are great, especially when the employment sector needs a boost, it comes at a cost too great considering the environmental problems at hand already. Although I do not believe in a full ban of fracking, as it leaves the United States too dependent of energy resources abroad, but the federal government must step in and enforce strong laws limiting the amount of fracking that can be done. Our environment is eroding at record speeds, with little being done to lessen the blow. The United States must take action, and set a national example for other nations to follow. I don't believe that energy legislation should be left to the individual state because energy is key to a thriving society and the federal government must ensure stability and effectiveness along with advancements in cleaner and renewable energy sources.