Fracking
Voluntary Certification Program for Fracking Companies Is Not Enough
Apr 1, 2013 by Sofia Plagakis
Last week, a coalition of natural gas producers, environmental groups, and philanthropic organizations unveiled a voluntary certification program for companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the Marcellus Shale region (parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, western Maryland, and western Virginia). The program is based on a set of fifteen water and air protection standards, which are more stringent than current federal law and many state laws. However, a careful review of the standards shows that they are still not strong enough and should not replace public protections enforced by state and federal governments.
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Illinois Introduces Strongest Fracking Disclosure Bill in the Country
Mar 11, 2013
Illinois would have the strongest protective oversight rules on fracking in the country under legislation introduced on Feb. 21 in the General Assembly. The bill includes nearly all the key elements for an effective chemical disclosure policy identified in a previous Center for Effective Government report. The bill represents stronger model legislation for states that want to protect the public from the health and environmental risks of fracking.
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Fracking Projected to Continue for Decades in Texas
Mar 7, 2013 by Sofia Plagakis
The significant size of natural gas reserves in Texas could mean at least another two decades of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) in the state, according to a recent study. This means that communities will have to deal with air and drinking water contamination from the toxic chemicals used in fracking for some time to come unless greater protections are put in place by the state or federal government.
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Oil and Gas Production a Major Source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, EPA Data Reveals
Feb 12, 2013
On Feb. 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new data indicating that in 2011, the oil and natural gas sector was the second-highest contributor of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. A method of natural gas drilling, known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, is a major component of this industry. Given this data and its stated commitment to addressing climate change, the Obama administration will have to reconsider its strong support of natural gas production.
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New Website Makes Information on Fracking Chemicals More Accessible
Nov 27, 2012
Fracking fluid is known to contain benzene (which causes cancer), toluene, and other harmful chemicals, but the exact substances and amounts in fracking fluids are typically kept secret because companies invoke "confidential business information" exemptions to right-to-know laws and rules. On Nov. 14, an environmental organization launched a website to give the public improved access to information on the chemicals used in fracking.
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Petition Seeks Information on Toxic Fracking Emissions
Oct 24, 2012 by Sofia Plagakis
Today, OMB Watch and 16 local, regional, and national organizations filed a petition under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require the oil and gas industry – including companies engaged in fracking – to report their toxic emissions. Such reporting would provide EPA with more information on the identity, use, and quantity of chemicals used by the oil and gas industry and would help the agency evaluate their health and environmental risks.
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Fracking Continues to Expand Rapidly Despite New Evidence of Health Risks
Oct 23, 2012
Another public interest report has confirmed that shale gas extraction is creating new public health risks. However, the fracking boom grows unabated, and drilling is occurring near schools and other locations. This could lead to increased chemical exposures among children and other vulnerable populations.
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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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Americans Gather for First-Ever National Rally against Fracking
Jul 27, 2012 by Sofia Plagakis
Americans from across the country – tired of waiting for state or federal protections – have been arriving in the nation’s capital this week to participate in the first-ever national anti-fracking rally on July 28. More than 3,000 people are expected to attend.
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OMB Watch Joins Lawsuit Seeking Disclosure of Chemicals Used in Natural Gas Extraction in Wyoming
Mar 26, 2012 by Sofia Plagakis
On March 26, OMB Watch, along with the Powder River Basin Resource Council, Wyoming Outdoor Council, and Earthworks, filed a petition requesting that the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) disclose information about chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The case, now before Wyoming's Seventh District Court, could set the tone for future cases in the more than 10 states with chemical disclosure rules similar to Wyoming's.
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