Natural gas and hydraulic fracturing have dramatically altered the North American energy landscape. My thesis research includes news stories, scholarly sources and interviews from Alberta, Canada, Bradford County, PA, and Vermont. Through these stories, I examine the role of the Vermont Gas pipeline for Middlebury College and Vermont, detailing the complexity of the issue for a state that is both economically challenged and environmentally minded. Ultimately, I have concluded that, despite its significant financial benefits, the pipeline is an irresponsibly large fossil fuel investment for the state to make in the face of climate change. Regarding the College, I argue that we have jeopardized our image as an environmental leader by associating our carbon neutrality plan with this unsustainable and unethical infrastructure.
