Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Hydraulic Fracturing (aka, fracing) in the News

Two posts at Common Ground United regarding hydraulic fracturing in the news:
Help is on the way: EPA involvement in drilling review a plus
API publishes guidelines for safe fracing

Unconventional extraction utilizes directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The toxic chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing are not disclosed and are considered proprietary. Decades of industry lobbying culminated in the evisceration of Federal oil and gas regulations and oversight by the Energy Policy Act of 2005; the oil and gas industry currently enjoys significant exemptions from major Federal environmental laws.

At least the Independent Petroleum Association (API publishes guidelines for safe fracing ) is acknowledging that there are safety risks with fracing, but still are trying to control the levels of governmental concerns. It is not either the "state or feds?" but both, and the local level. Each level has its respective authority and concerns. All levels of government need to be involved in protecting health and human safety among other concerns.

See related Drilling Santa Fe post about natural gas drilling and radioactive produced wastewater:

Is New York’s Marcellus Shale Too Hot to Handle?



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