A new study published Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals three homes in Bradford County located in northeastern Pennsylvania had small amounts of chemicals used for fracking in their water. USA Today reports that the study is significant because, as one research points out, it is the first to document chemicals traveled from shale gas wells over a mile.

The only thing is that the traces of chemicals found were at levels that would not cause any adverse health effects. Scientists involved in the study were not able to prove beyond any doubt that the chemicals were derived from fracking or shale-related activities. Because of the timing and the presence of the chemicals shale gas activity was cited as the most probable reason.

The fact that the chemicals discovered during the research were at levels deemed un-harmful will probably not deter environmentalists from chewing on this research paper like a bone. Just the fact that the chemicals were there would be enough for them to play the role of chicken little purporting a perfect planet principle which is nature was fine until mankind showed up and started polluting the Earth. In this case, it is using chemicals to extract oil and natural gas. There are potential risks with hydraulic fracturing but the benefits outweigh any risks. As a result of this drilling method, our oil and gas prices are lower than they ever have been and fracking has even helped reduce carbon emissions.,br />

None of this makes any difference to environmentalists who are ardently against any extraction of oil or gas or use of any of Earth’s natural resources for human betterment and survival.