To Fracking, or Not to Fracking, That is the Question. America is increasingly concerned about where it will get the resources it needs for energy. Coal is becoming an expensive and closely monitored resource due to its effect on our atmosphere with its carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear energy has raised concerns since the recent Japanese disaster. We are once again beginning to look for a way to obtain the fuel needed to meet the energy needs of today and tomorrow. Natural gas then presents itself as an option. Natural gas is celebrated as a solution to sustain us until we can become more dependent on renewable resources, such as wind and solar power. The source of all this gas is literally right under our noses. It is found underground in shale formations. One of these formations, the largest in America, the Marcelus Shale, a huge formation located in parts of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, contains more than $500 billion of gas in a single area. A relatively new process and a recently high-profile topic. Hydraulic fracturing, or large-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing of groundwater, is attracting attention worldwide. Hydraulic fracturing is the term for the oil and gas industry's relatively new process of taking existing wells, or sometimes creating new ones, and using them to extract natural gas from shale formations. Hydraulic fracturing inspired a recent boom in natural gas extraction and our urgent energy situation. Hydraulic fracturing has the potential to bring enormous economic benefits to several groups, including landowners, the oil and gas industry, and even affected states. This process attracts the attention of many people around the world and causes a lot of controversy. While the majority of controversy lies in the lack of regulation, the uncertainties surrounding the carbon dioxide released during fracking are also staggering. The process also creates small earthquakes, raising concerns about what could happen to wells and also tightening well regulations. Test drilling is also carried out frequently due to uncertainty in the amount of resource. The resource area is known to be large, but the amount of fuel that can be obtained is often uncertain. The industry often overestimates. This can have profound effects on the local economy of drilling sites. All of this shows that fracking is nothing more than a quick fix to our energy needs and a quick money-maker for the gas and oil industry. Regulations need to be strengthened, processes and equipment are in dire need of improvement, the effects on our environment and wallet need to be better understood before we continue to move towards uncertain consequences.