What the frack?

I've  been hearing a lot about fracking, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was or how it could impact the environment and the natural places I like to explore.

I found some great information about what it is and the potential impacts are on the Ohio Environmental Council's website:
http://www.theoec.org/fracking.htm

A human interest article about fracking on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/us/montana-tribe-divided-on-tapping-oil-rich-land.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www

And just to for giggles, I looked at "the other sides" argument:
http://www.energyfromshale.org/what-is-fracking?gclid=COKOxb3J1LICFcZlOgodznAA8A

And no, it's not good for the environment - but since when is sinking a well in to the earth to drain what's under the surface ever actually good for the environment? There is the high probability for all aspects of pollution: air, water (especially at the water table level), and land.

I think what disturbs me the most are the chemicals mixed with the water & sand that gets blasted in to the earth to shake loose the oil or gas. It's not being required for the companies who do the fracking to disclose what chemicals or how much were used until after the fact.

Seriously? We've been here before folks. Kept in the dark about harmful substances introduced into our lives/homes/environments and not notified until after the fact.

The pro-fracking website doesn't state what the chemicals are, just that the amounts vary from well to well and the 99.5% of the fluids used are water & sand.

Uh huh. If you won't disclose what or how much of the chemicals you are shoving like a full-throttle high clonic into the Earth, then the only ones who are going to feel the impact are the people and environment around the wells well after the fracking job is complete and the workers are gone.

WTF indeed. Not good. Definitely not good.