Audio by title green_party

Howard Markert from Youngstown Ohio is a Green Party candidate for Mahoning County Commissioner.

Markert said hydraulic fracturing is not new.

“It’s been in use for more than 60 years. What’s new is the combination of the horizontal drilling technique, which has only been around for about 15 years, and the high volume slick water concept. Instead of tens of thousands or 50,000 gallons of water per well, they’re using anywhere from 8 to 10 million gallons of water per well; and anywhere from 7,500 to 50,000 gallons of concentrated chemicals.”

Market said those who say there are no alternatives to fracking for providing the energy to run modern society should look to Germany.

“Currently, Germany, a country four times the size of Ohio, produces more than 40 percent of their energy from renewables. They produce more energy from solar panels---both photovoltaic and thermal---than all of North America combined. Yet they’re farther north than Ohio, and have only 50 percent of the available solar energy that we do.”

Markert said public policy explains the difference between Germany and the United States.

“Germany’s government have been very proactive in making sure that subsidies and incentives are put in place to encourage the development of green energy alternatives and discourage the use of fossil fuels through taxes.”