The Effect of Proximity to Energy Development on Public Attitudes: Fracking in the U.S.

Graduation date: 2014An oil and gas extraction technique commonly referred to as “fracking”, “hydraulic fracturing”, “hydrofracking” or “unconventional shale development” has recently emerged as a major national and international policy issue. This combination of new and preexisting technologies has quickly spread around the world, allowing for the development of large, previously unviable oil and gas reserves. A large body of literature on “NIMBY” and “LULU” phenomena suggest that proximity to similar types of energy development can shape public attitudes toward new energy facilities and development. However, previous research has failed to account for how previous industry activity interacts with current industry efforts in shaping attitudes. By combining geospatial data on historical oil and gas industry activity and current shale development with a nationally representative survey of U.S. residents (N=1,061), we examine how proximity to previous and current oil and gas development independently influence attitudes toward fracking. While we find limited evidence for the impact of historical oil and gas development on current attitudes toward fracking, survey respondents within a current shale play were more likely to support fracking. Based on these findings, we discuss recommendations for future research and energy policy