Posted on 04/14/2011 6:26:15 PM PDT by neverdem
Several Democratic senators said Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency should step up regulation of the natural gas industry because they are concerned that toxic chemicals used in drilling could enter the public water supply.
In a Senate hearing, Democrats pressed the agency about the consequences of a fast-growing drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, that involves pumping chemicals and water deep underground to release gas deposits.
“The industry has failed to meet minimal acceptable performance levels for protecting human health and the environment,” said Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Democrat of Maryland and chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the environment committee. “The question is, What is E.P.A. doing about this?”
A recent article by The New York Times reported that these drilling fluids, which are often processed at sewage treatment plants, contain radioactivity at levels far higher than federal regulators say is safe for these plants to handle.
Robert Perciasepe, the environmental agency’s deputy administrator, testified that state and federal regulators were collaborating to ensure that no contaminants from fracking entered drinking water.
Mr. Perciasepe said that the E.P.A. had commissioned an independent study of hydrofracking and that drilling companies had been asked for new details about the chemicals in the water delivered to treatment plants.
“Our primary role here is oversight on the state programs,” he said, “but they are running the programs. Where we see some imminent endangerment, we may take our own action.”
Republicans at the hearing expressed concern about increasing the E.P.A.’s regulatory responsibilities. Current state regulations are adequate, said Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, adding that there are no cases of contaminated drinking water being linked directly to hydrofracking.
“These people have been doing a good job,” Mr. Inhofe said. “But the mentality in Washington is, nothing is done...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
What do these Senators know about anything?
I think several democrat senators should sod off and die.
What do these Senators know about anything?
I guess Senator Rockefeller knows how to cash a Oil Company dividend check.
Preventing treatment plants from being built
There are several that come to mind that I would like to personally frac!
There is not one, not a single GD engery technology that the left approves of. And when the "new" tech that they have nagged about for years finally comes on-line they find a reason to stop that too. God forgive me, I hate these people with a burning passion.
As the old saw goes, “pollution is a resource out of place.”
Maybe these radioactive elements could be useful for something (like the new proposed thorium nuclear power plants), and could be purified out of the water used to “frack” with. And in the meantime there shouldn’t be any reason the “fracking” water can’t be re-used for more “fracking.”
Liberals goal is the destruction of the USA. If the USA becomes energy independent liberals lose.
Toxic chemicals? I belive that it is 99% water and sand!
Here’s a novel idea from a former geologist who could not work in the industry anymore due to over regulation:
Go for the easy old school stuff! Then you won’t have to wrap your ignorant minds around the new. Drill proven reserves.
Democrats don’t seem to know much about the oil/gas industry except they appear to be under orders to shut it down as much as possible.
Sick!
Here in MD (Freak state) the question remains: who is more ignorant, uninformed and mentally deficient...cardin or mikulski? Sheesh!
Some frackers have used some benzene in their suspensions/solutions. Many have said their stuff is proprietary, and they won't disclose what's in it. A lot of states want to make revealing the composition mandatory.
A company called FTK has a solution that is mostly citrus based..It is injected in wells that are way below the water table..the bigger problem is spillage at ground level
Democrat senators.
Science.
The two do not exist in the same universe.
I know of more than 42 years that we have been doing this. IT "AINT" NEW.
The envirowacko Marxist are trying to destroy our nation. This is not about pollution, it is about power and degrading our great nation to a 2nd rate power.
Anytime there is a way for Americans to get energy sources here rather than paying foreign enemies for it, the leftist, environut Democrats make up a lie to keep us from accessing it. They really hate our free and individualist way of life.
And, BTW, turns out that the town in CA that Erin Brokovitch targeted as being a victim of PG&E turns out to have had LESS cancer than the average.
All this stuff is SUCH a scam.
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