Jumping to conclusions on shale gas, Martine Ouellet, Quebec’s new environment minister, jumped the gun on her dismissal of shale gas exploitation in the province

Jumping to conclusions on shale gas, Martine Ouellet, Quebec’s new environment minister, jumped the gun on her dismissal of shale gas exploitation in the province by Montreal Gazette, October 5, 2012
It is true that shale-gas extraction represents a serious potential environmental hazard. It is done by a process called fracking that involves laterally drilling up to two miles into shale formations and pumping in chemically treated water to free the gas from the rock. Critics charge that it risks poisoning groundwater due to the chemicals involved, generating earthquakes by way of the extensive drilling, and fouling the atmosphere from wellhead leaks. … On the whole, independent scientific evaluation predominantly holds that while there have been disturbing instances of groundwater pollution, these have been relatively few and can inevitably be traced to technical glitches that can be avoided by rigorous application of correct procedure. [Emphasis added]