HawksleyFilmAnnotation4


 * Erika Hawksley**
 * Annotation #4**
 * Word Count: 1,445**


 * Title:** Split Estate
 * Director:** Debra Anderson
 * Release year:** 2009


 * What is the central argument or narrative of the film?**

The narrative of this film is about natural gas drilling in the Rocky Mountain West where land owners do not own the mineral rights to the soil beneath their land. Using hydraulic fracturing techniques to extract natural gas from the ground, large gas corporations are littering the landscape with drilling pads and causing serious human health and environmental problems in the process. Exempt from the Clear Water Act, the only rule these corporations seem to follow is that a drilling rig (approximately 200 ft in height) must be at least 200 ft away from a residence. This film reveals the true social and environmental costs of using natural gas; a fuel that has been portrayed as ‘green’ by the media.


 * How is the argument or narrative made and sustained? How much scientific information is provided, for example? Does the film have emotional appeal?**

Split Estate sustains this narrative by telling the stories of some people being affected by natural gas drilling, specifically in Garfield County, Colorado. The film also uses research findings presented by chemists and discusses analysis of natural gas drilling made by the Environmental Protection Agency. The chemist found that the fracking fluid used in drilling contained a laundry list of dangerous chemicals. These chemicals are forcefully pumped deep into the ground to fracture shale and release gases, but in the process the gas often seeps up through the ground and contaminates drinking water supplies of residents nearby. After using this fluid it is collected into pools and allowed to evaporate into the air. The people affected tell stories of how this contamination has affected them and essentially ruined their lives. This film displays emotional appeal as you see small town people and communities develop health problems and some abandoning their homes to find a safe haven somewhere else.


 * What sustainability problems does the film draw out? Political? Legal? Economic? Technological? Media and Informational? Organizational? Educational? Behavioral? Cultural? Ecological?**

This film draws out many sustainability problems, including, legal, economic, technological, cultural, and ecological. Legal problems arise because it seems that a company coming in and drilling for natural gas only 200 ft from your house would be overstepping your civil rights. However, due to the laws of about mineral rights formed in the old west mining days, these land and home owners unfortunately have no rights to stop the natural gas companies from drilling wherever they want. The natural gas industry is a large economic force, but we need to consider the other costs that this industry is having on our people and our environment before we look at the money it is bringing in. Developments in technology have enabled the use of horizontal drilling in deeper rock formations, which is at the root of this problem. However, new technology could be used to drill for natural gas in a cleaner more sustainable way. Our culture has become dependent on fuel consumption and no matter how many people see the negative effects of natural gas drilling; we need to find alternatives to replace our fossil fuels because no one wants to give up their conveniences provided by this fuel. Ecologically, action needs to be taken immediately to stop the pollution of our fresh bodies of water and drinking supplies. The gas industry needs to be held to much tighter environmental and health regulations.

. The part of the film that I found most compelling was the story of a husband and wife who moved to this area of Colorado to build their dream home and have suffered from the effects of local natural gas drilling. Their home was soon surrounded by drilling rigs and the stay at home wife started to become very ill. Her exposure what much greater than that of her husband and she soon had headaches, bleeding eyes and nose, and intense pain throughout her body preventing her from walking or functioning on her own. She then developed a neurological issue that affected her speech. The doctors said that her conditions were unusual and it is impossible to accurately treat her conditions because they don’t know what chemicals she has been exposed to. The gas companies continued to tell the couple that there water was safe to drink, so they drank their water and became increasingly more ill as time went on. Eventually, they had to abandon the home they loved and more away, which significantly reduced this woman’s symptoms. Despite any claims made by the gas companies, this true story tells me that there is a lot wrong with the drilling methods they are using and that there is a complete lack of concern for human health and the environment.
 * What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?**


 * What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why?**

Split Estate interviewed some executives from different gas companies and I was not convinced by anything that these men said. They basically tried to brush off accusations as insignificant individual cases that were never officially linked to their drilling and they continued to boast the ideas presented by media that natural gas is the ‘green’ fuel solution of our future. Both of these points are ridiculous arguments that any informed person would reject. After hearing stories from individuals affected, one’s gut instinct is to trust what others have experienced and are reporting back instead of whatever the industry is trying to get you to think about their product.


 * What audiences does the film best address? Why?**

This film is informative for all audiences, but I think I was better informed to watch it after seeing Gasland than I would have been without any previous knowledge. Since the film focuses on the areas of the Rocky Mountain West, people from that region may be the ideal audience because they will be inspired to fight for change in their area. However, this film is also informative for everyone and can convince many people to push for stricter regulations about natural gas drilling.


 * What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?**

Split Estate could have incorporated more scientific facts to accompany the stories told by individuals and increase the power of their argument. However, this may have been hard to do because the gas industry is so protected that scientists can really find out what is in the fracking fluid and other details about the drilling process. Statistics about reported health problems correlated with amount of drill rigs in an area would have been beneficial.


 * What kinds of action and points of intervention are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective.**

This film did not suggest many points of intervention. Instead, it focused on increasing awareness of the problem and encouraged people to become engaged in educating and empowering others to fight for legislation against natural gas drilling. Viewers are encouraged to send letters to Congress to hold gas companies responsible to the devastation they are causing. I would also suggest supporting initiatives for sustainable energy and research for safer drilling technology.


 * What additional information has the film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references.)**

This film compelled me to seek out the current state of natural gas drilling in the Capital Region of New York. I found that currently no drilling is taking place and the area is pushing for a ban that would prevent gas companies from ever exploiting the region. However, I found this article in which the chief of the Department of Environmental Conservation spoke in defense of gas drilling because he believes that the DEC can properly regulate the drilling. I was not convinced by this argument because it seems that the gas companies are too powerful to control. After they are allowed to start drilling, I would fear that they would convince policy makers to give in to their requests and let environmental and health regulations slip.

[|newswell|text|News|s]

Split Estate also encouraged me to look into the current health concerns linked to natural gas drilling in the state of Colorado. I found a group called Earthworks that devoted to protecting communities and the environment from the negative effects of natural gas drilling. Their website compiled many articles expressing health concerns from Colorado residents about what the drilling is doing to them. These articles supported the stories presented in the film and further convinced me that natural gas drilling is something I should be very concerned about.

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