The Truth Behind Hydrualic Fracturing

The EPA started reporting on fracking and the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2000, and following the release of its study in 2004, the 2005 Energy Policy Act was passed, containing provisions of energy production, distribution, storage, efficiency, conservation, and research.* The Clean Water Act regulates the treatment and discharge of shale gas wastewater into surface water bodies.* Under this act, facilities must obtain permits to discharge this wastewater, and direct discharge of wastewater pollutants from natural gas production is prohibited. However, the NRDC reported in 2012 that the Clean Water Act is not comprehensive due to the out of date standards and the lack of pretreatment requirements specifically for shale gas wastewater.* The Safe Drinking Water Act deals more specifically with the underground injection of wastewater. Within the act, the Underground Injection Control program sets requirements for proper well siting, construction, and operation to minimize contamination of underground sources of drinking water.** Through loopholes in programs, it is up to state regulation to decide how wastewater is handled.

 

One note-worthy point to consider is the number of exemptions granted to the fracking process. As of 2012, fracking is exempt from seven major federal regulations, including the Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act.  Recently, there are proposed reforms to address some of these exceptions and other concerns with fracking. For example, until this year, there has yet to be enforced standards regarding air pollution caused by fracking. The EPA established air quality standards in 2012 that would require oil and gas companies to capture toxic and climate-altering gases from storage sites, wells, and pipelines.*** These standards, effective as of this year, would “reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds by 190,000 to 290,000 tons per year and toxic air pollutants by 12,000 to 20,000 tons a year.” *** Capturing methane from thousands of new wells would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 28-44 million tons per year, which equates to 26% fewer emissions.**** Currently, the Obama administration is seeking to tighten fracking regulations and require oil companies to disclose what chemicals they use, effective June 2015.***** These measures are relatively recent and do not have long term goals with regards to reduced levels of emissions.

 

 

*"Fracking Regulations." SourceWatch. MediaWiki. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Fracking_regulations>.

 

**"Natural Gas Extraction - Hydraulic Fracturing." EPA. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing>.

 

*** Broder, John. "U.S. Caps Emissions in Drilling for Fuel." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/science/earth/epa-caps-emissions-at-gas-and-oil-wells.html?_r=2&ref=energy-environment>.

 

****Dlouhy, Jennifer. "Industry Asks for More Time to Comply with Drilling Pollution Mandates." Fuel Fix. 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/04/12/industry-asks-for-more-time-to-comply-with-drilling-pollution-mandates/>

 

*****"Fracking Regulations." SourceWatch. MediaWiki. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Fracking_regulations>.