Former Bush EPA Official : Fracking Exemption Went Too Far

http://www.propublica.org/article/former-bush-epa-official-says-fracking-exemption-went-too-far

Two important pieces that need to change ...
- 2005 Energy Policy Act prohibited the regulation of fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
- Energy companies are allowed to keep the names of the chemicals they use for fracturing secret

Essentially, fracking & fracking alone can freely pollute drinking water and not be subject to any regulation on that.

"Essentially, fracking & fracking alone can freely pollute drinking water and not be subject to any regulation on that."

They did not want a lot of needless bureaucracy to impede gas drilling. So far it has worked well with no known pollution of drinking water.

Should not be an issue, unless the gas company is incompetent and fracks in the water table, I can imagine lots of suits if they do that.

Take a guess why they are allowed to keep the chemicals secret..

Herm said:

So far it has worked well with no known pollution of drinking water.

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I did an internet search with terms fracking+polluted+well+water. My aunt has gas wells that I understand, have been fracked and they are extracting more gas, but the internet search indicated there has been some evidence of problems and contamination.

Herm said:

So far it has worked well with no known pollution of drinking water.

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Obviously we don't live on the same planet.

A gov regulator reluctantly stated recently that there had not been any verified cases of pollution, just anecdotes.

I'm sure things can go spectacularly wrong with fracking.. thats why we have law suits and jails to punish negligent operators.

Herm said:

A gov regulator reluctantly stated recently that there had not been any verified cases of pollution, just anecdotes.

I'm sure things can go spectacularly wrong with fracking.. thats why we have law suits and jails to punish negligent operators.

Click to expand...

How many generations of humanity would it take to reclaim a contaminated aquifer?

This showed up this morning on the NY Times...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/us/04natgas.html?_r=1&hp
"The report concluded that hydraulic fracturing fluids or gel used by the Kaiser Exploration and Mining Company contaminated a well roughly 600 feet away on the property of James Parsons in Jackson County, W.Va., referring to it as “Mr. Parson’s water well.”"

Herm, sometimes I wonder if you really believe what you write, or are just functioning as a pot stirrer or provocateur? Do tell.

Of course, without anyone looking over their shoulders, or even knowing WHAT chemicals to test for, we won't know if the water is contaminated until people start falling over...

"Herm, sometimes I wonder if you really believe what you write, or are just functioning as a pot stirrer or provocateur? Do tell."

Devils advocate.. adjust your tinfoil hat a bit, some of your brains are showing..

I'm agnostic on the subject of AGW, and tend to discount all conspiracy theories.. I am for all-out production of NG, nukes, oil and coal resources.. I am a bit skeptical of windpower but coming around due to the Chinese.. not sure about solar cells or solar thermal, I like corn ethanol, love CTL and GTL.

Mostly I am an optimistic guy, pro technology, and I enjoy ridiculing (but always in good fun) doomers.

Good article you posted:

" “There have been over a million wells hydraulically fractured in the history of the industry, and there is not one, not one, reported case of a freshwater aquifer having ever been contaminated from hydraulic fracturing. Not one,” Rex W. Tillerson, the chief executive of ExxonMobil, said last year at a Congressional hearing on drilling.

It is a refrain that not only drilling proponents, but also state and federal lawmakers, even past and present Environmental Protection Agency directors, have repeated often."

Herm said:

A gov regulator reluctantly stated recently that there had not been any verified cases of pollution, just anecdotes.

I'm sure things can go spectacularly wrong with fracking.. thats why we have law suits and jails to punish negligent operators.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding? . . . . We don't have enough jail space to jail all the burglers - arsonists - rapists - robbers - kidnappers - and murderers ... much less even 1/2 of the victimless criminals (drugs - prostitution - fraud) ... all of these being purposeful acts ... and you think they're going to jail those (possibly) whose actions are mere neglegence? Better think again. The feds have exempted toxic results via fracking ... so even when there are 'proofs' of toxins - there's no remedy - because the reg's exempt fracking. In essence -they're saying, 'too bad ... you can't ever know what fracking chemicals are killing you because you can never learn what the poisons are that we poison you with' ... and thus the industry can truthfully say, 'it's never been shown that our chemicals will kill you.
At one time the smoking lobby was able to buy off congress for favorable legislation, and even prevent discovery of the industry's purposeful deeds under principals that their activity was protected because every thing the smoking industry does is stuff done in anticipation of litigation, which is normally protected from discovery during litigation. Sadly, people get what they deserve. And people brimming with pathetic ignorance are no acception.

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http://fracfocus.org/

Welcome to FracFocus, the hydraulic fracturing chemical registry website. This website is a joint project of the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.

On this site you can search for information about the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. You will also find educational materials designed to help you put this information in perspective.

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The Ground Water Protection Council appears to consist of state water management folks. I may be wrong, but my gut seems to think this org is somewhere between an industry-centric 'astroturf' organization and a truly independent water protection group...