Fracking and other modern drilling techniques are here to stay. Opponents may stop a pipeline here or some drilling there. They may delay it in some states. They may get it banned in some states.

But, alas, they will not stop fracking. There are many reasons why they will not.

Money is one reason. There are too many billions of dollars – ultimately trillions – at stake. Money talks. It twists arms. It bribes politicians. It buys votes. It buys the support of folks.

Fracking has brought down the price of natural gas by 75 percent or so. People who heat with natural gas are delighted. Trucking firms that are converting fleets to natural gas are delighted. They will choose fracking over higher prices.

Power plants are switching by the dozens to natural gas. They are abandoning coal. This switch has already cut carbon dioxide emissions by 500 megatons per year. And the number grows larger as more power plants switch.