Introduction
This environmental study will cover current federal regulations and enforcement for managing environmental impacts related to hydraulic
fracturing for oil and gas development.
About Hydraulic-Fracturing of Oil and Gas Development
It is known that hydraulic fracturing, a.k.a. “hydrocracking” is a technique that uses a mix of water, sand and chemicals to crack preceding impenetrable rock down a gas or oil well to induce fractures that will allow cornered oil or gas to flow aboveground. The process uses million gallons of water and it is the main ingredient in hydraulic fracture. The sand is to utilize the fractures open once formed. The chemical mixture helps the process and eases the flow. Defenders point out that hydraulic fracturing contributed the United States opulence cheap fossil fuel and brought the country from being a gas importer to a net exporter for natural gas. However, experts reacted that hydraulic fracturing is unsafe because it releases toxic chemicals to the environment. Due to this, the State created guidelines for hydraulic fracturing that can manage environmental impact. Below are federal regulations on hydraulic fracturing.
The federal Clean Water Act states that facilities must secure permits that contain limitations on pollutants from waste water if they ordain to unload gas wastewater into a surface water body it also restrict the direct discharge of wastewater pollutants from natural gas production. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) directs the underground injection of wastewater. Hence, injecting fluids for certain hydraulic fracture process is excluded under this act. So, it is excluded to this regulation if shale gas wastewater is properly managed for reuse for further hydraulic fracture. The federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which regulate waste disposal except oil and gas wastes but States, regulate transfer, handling and storage of the gas wastewater. Some states, like Pennsylvania approves fracking waste through permit issuance as long as they meet pollutant limits. EPA or the Environmental Protection Agency suggested regulation for air pollution standards for natural gas drilling with an objective to lessen emissions of significant amount of volatile organic compounds. It was issued on April 18, 2012 and will be fully effective on January 2015. Hence, on March 17, 2012, EPA also proposed carbon dioxide emissions from future electricity generating plants and on May 2012, EPA released draft to identify how companies abide with federal regulation. Obama administration, on May 4, 2012, requires companies to divulge chemicals used for fracking process after they finish operation. This regulation will cover issues related to flow-back water and will allow limited exemptions on chemical disclosure. In January 2013, the Interior Department drafted a new proposal that will not include acidizing, a process similar to fracturing which makes trade secrets for fluid ingredients easier.
Conclusion
The United States has huge demand for energy. Hydraulic Fracturing oil and gas can answer those needs. If done properly, negative impact to the environment can be avoided. Environmental groups should help in creating a strict regulation for this industry instead of pushing a ban on hydraulic fracture. It will also be better on both the environment and the communities if oil and gas companies can reduce the impact hydraulic fracturing has. It can be done responsibly by disposing their waste the right way.
Works Cited
Hancox, Ed. "Hydrofracking Fact and Fiction: What You Need to Know About the Controversial Practice." PolicyMic. policymic.com, n.d. Web. 3 May 2013.
Sourcewatch.org. "Fracking regulations." State Policy Network. sourcewatch.org, n.d. Web. 4 May 2013.
