re: #144 Dark_Falcon

How about a compromise? Appoint a commission to review fracking on federal land. 8 member commission, President Obama picks 4 members, Sen. McConnell picks 4 members (for such partisan commissions the Senate leader of the party not in the White House makes the nominations). 1 wrinkle: the energy companies and the environmentalists each may veto one commission nomination. Coordinating that last would pose some difficulties, but would allow both sides some needed feeling of “fighting the corporate shills or enviro-socialists”.

The technical data submitted to the commission would be largely kept secret, to prevent its use in dishonest propaganda.

I was with you until the last paragraph. My reasoning goes like this-For all the legit concerns about propaganda and deceit for money, the collision here is more fundamental.

Very direct conflict here. Pretty stark when boiled down.
We really need a lot of energy.
We really need to cut back on fossil fuel combustion.

The rest is mostly muddied waters. So IMHO what we need is more accurate information published ASAP. That’s the environment so to speak in which we can get after the real bottom line dilemma.