Hydraulic fracturing can lead to environmental concerns such as:

• A. Groundwater contamination
• B. Increased soil fertility
• C. No emissions
• D. Reduced seismic activity

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that hydraulic fracturing can create real environmental concerns, with groundwater contamination being a primary risk. Fracking uses large volumes of water mixed with chemicals and proppants injected into shale at high pressure to create cracks. If well integrity isn’t perfect, or if surface spills, leaks, or improper handling occur, these fluids or dissolved methane can migrate into nearby groundwater supplies that people rely on for drinking and irrigation. Fracturing can also create new pathways through rock that allow contaminants to move toward aquifers over time. So groundwater contamination is the most direct and widely discussed environmental concern associated with this practice.

The other options don’t reflect typical environmental outcomes of hydraulic fracturing: soil fertility isn’t enhanced by fracking; there are emissions from the operation, so saying there are no emissions isn’t correct; and fracturing activities are often linked to increased seismic activity in some regions, not reduced seismic activity.