Despite what you might read in the news, the inherent safety of hydraulic fracturing is well established in the scientific and regulatory communities. How do we know? Because even top officials within the Obama administration have acknowledged that fact — many times, even.

From touting a long record of safety to confirming that the process does not contaminate groundwater, the Obama White House has consistently rebuffed critics who have made a business out of wild and baseless accusations.

Whether the issue is water contamination or air emissions, the regulatory consensus is that oil and natural gas can be developed safely from shale and other tight reservoirs. That’s why the U.S. EPA, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the U.S. Department of Energy have all embraced natural gas as a clean energy source that creates jobs and boosts our economy.

But that also raises an important question: Should we place more trust in U.S. officials who are in charge of federal regulatory agencies, or in anti-fracking activists who willfully deny science?

CLICK HERE to watch Energy In Depth’s newest video, which compiles some of the greatest hits from the Obama administration.