Triple Divide [Redacted]

Narrated by Mark Ruffalo, this documentary by Joshua B. Pribanic and Melissa A. Troutman focuses on the impact of fracking on the ecosystem and residents of Pennsylvania. The core of the film is an 18-month investigation by the nonprofit news organization Public Herald into negligence by the energy companies behind the state’s shale gas industrial development and how their actions were ineptly handled by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In emotional interviews, homeowners insist that their properties and health were ruined by fracking—abnormally high traces of arsenic and radon have been detected—claims that are met with seeming indifference by DEP officials. Animation is used to explain some of the more complex aspects of fracking and the hazards created by inadequate construction and storage procedures. The film’s title refers to one of the four 'divides' in North America where water flows from a single location into rivers that travel into three different parts of the continent—a reminder of the interconnectivity of the environment. Originally released in 2013 in a 90-minute version, this shorter revised edition provides updated information on the fracking situation. Extras include Public Herald testimony to the EPA, additional scenes, and bonus interviews. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)