Summary: <p>In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama claimed America is sitting on a supply of natural gas that could last nearly a century. Those who support hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — to extract that natural gas from shale say it could make the U.S energy independent. Others worry about what the prospect of excessive development from drilling could mean for their local communities. Most everyone agrees that fracking needs some level of regulation, but questions remain about how much regulation is too much and what controls are realistic. The ongoing debate over fracking and its impact on U.S. energy prices.</p>
