Casey/ Degette Bill Would Require Oil and Gas Industry to Disclose Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing; 'Gas Rush' Must Not Jeopardize Public Health; Study Prepared for Industry Trade Group Predicts Production Cuts from Any New Federal Oversight

摘要

The oil and gas industry is unhappy with legislation - the "Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act of 2009" - unveiled on 6/9/09 to repeal the four-year-old exclusion of hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and require public disclosure of chemicals used in the fracturing process. These supposedly include diesel fuel, benzene, industrial solvents, and other carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. In the Senate, Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced S. 1215, co-sponsored by Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); in the House, Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) introduced H.R. 2766, co-sponsored by Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.). The identical bills were referred to the Committees on Environment and Public Works and Energy and Commerce, respectively.