Documentary.

Subtitle from disc surface and container.

Editor, Matthew Sanchez ; creative consultant, Debra Winger ; camera, Josh Fox, Noah Hutton, Raye Levine, Laura Newman, Alex Tyson ; graphics and animation, Juan Cardarelli, Eric M. Levy, Alex Tyson ; consultants, Barbara Arindell, Henry Chalfant, Morgan Jenness, Joe Levine ; music supervision, Susan Jacobs, Jackie Mulhearn.

Narrator, Josh Fox; interviewees Al Appleton, Alfredo J. Armendariz, Al Baker, Amee and Jesse Ellsworth, Andy Cheshier, Barry Pelts, Calvin Tillman, Barbara Arindell, Charles Morgan, Deb Thomas, Debbie Maye, Dee Hoffmeister, Diana Degette, Delaware River Basin Commission, Carol Collier, Charles Morgan, Don Young, Duke Cox, Elizabeth Burns, Elizabeth Chandler, Emily Weidenhof, Frank Smith, Gary Hogan, Geoffrey Thyne, Gerard Manos, Gillian Caldwell, Jack White, James Gennaro, Jason Rinker, James Weaver, Jeff Locker, Jeremy Nichols, Jerry Johnson, Jerry Horton, Joe Henderson, John Amos, John and Cathy Fenton, Johnny Micou, John Pendergrass, Josh Joswick, Joyce Wizer, Julie Sautner, Kim Weber, Lester Brown, Linda Baker, Lisa Bracken, Louis Meeks, Marsha Mendenhall, Mary White, Maurice Hinchey, Maule Newman, Meryl Bradshaw, Mike Eisenfeld, Mike Ferguson, Mike Markham, Nicholas Nersesian, Norma Fiorentino, Osmin Gonzalez, Pat Farnelli, Patrick Dillan, Pat Carullo, Paula Roberts, Pete Morton, Randal Wirth, Renee McClure, Richard Plunz, Richard Gonzalez, Rick Roles, Ronald Carter, Ronald Bobbit, Rolf Beck, Roxana Witter, Scott Stringer, Sharon Wilson, Sharon Johnson, Shirley McNall, Steve Cummings, Tara Meixsell, Theo Colborn, Tim Giblin, Tim Johnson, Upper Delaware Preservation Council, Victoria Switzer, Wally White, Weston Wilson, Wilma Subra, and anonymous in Arkansas, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

In 2009, Delaware River Basin native Josh Fox was presented with an interesting proposal: lease his family lands to a natural gas company for a new method of drilling called hydraulic fracturing, and get a check for $100,000. He wouldn't have to do anything but sit back and collect the money. Curious about the process, Fox embarks on an exploration of other areas where natural gas drilling was already in progress, to observe firsthand any potential downsides. In Dimock, Pennsylvania, a town surrounded by fracking activity, he hears stories of wells exploding, black water, flammable drinking water, headaches, pains, long-term sickness. Fox goes on to tour 25 states, cataloging an endless string of frustrated and sick Americans whose land has become toxic and explaining the legislation pushed through by former vice president Dick Cheney, exempting energy companies from key environmental acts--exemptions that make fracking invisible to any regulation or monitoring. Fox becomes an advocate for the cause of the people whose complaints are ignored by the natural gas corporations and the American government. The film documents the pitfalls and perils--borne of avarice of the most bloodless, ruthless kind--of the largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in American history, with the potential to poison millions.

MPAA rating: Not rated.

DVD; NTSC; Dolby Digital stereo.

Winner, 2010 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize: Documentary--Josh Fox; 2010 Environmental Media Awards, USA EMA Award: Documentary--Josh Fox ; 2010 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Artistic Vision Award: Feature--Josh Fox.