Blog: The Fine Print / posts by Sophia Zeng*
State Enforcement Too Weak to Protect the Public from Violations by Oil and Gas Producers
Sep 28, 2012 by Sophia Zeng*
States are failing to enforce oil and gas extraction rules, according to a report released Sept. 25 by Earthworks, an environmental group. The report, Breaking All the Rules, analyzes enforcement data, including well inspections, violations, enforcement actions, and penalties in six states: Colorado, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The report concluded that state inspection agencies are inadequately staffed, and inspections are arbitrarily conducted.
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Partial Reform of Water Quality Reports Fails in Senate
Jul 5, 2012 by Sophia Zeng*
An effort to partially reform public water quality reports failed in the Senate late last month. The proposed amendment to the Farm Bill, offered by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), would have allowed Consumer Confidence Reports to be available online instead of through the mail, but it would not have made the complex reports any easier to understand.
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