Arkansas Conservation Alliance Blog

Drinking Water Threatened by Toxic Natural Gas and Oil Drilling Chemicals

Executive Summary

Companies that drill for natural gas and oil are skirting federal law and injecting toxic petroleum distillates into thousands of wells, threatening drinking water supplies from Pennsylvania to Wyoming. Federal and state regulators, meanwhile, largely look the other way.

These distillates include kerosene, mineral spirits and a number of other petroleum products that often contain high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen that is toxic in water at minuscule levels. Drillers inject these substances into rock under extremely high pressure in a process called hydraulic fracturing that energy companies use to extract natural gas and oil from underground formations. The process, known as “fracking,” fractures the rock to allow additional gas and oil to flow to the surface. Fracking is currently used in 90 percent of the nation’s oil and natural gas wells and has been instrumental in accessing huge new natural gas deposits trapped in shale formations (Carrillo 2005).

In a worst case scenario, the petroleum distillates used in a single well could contain enough benzene to contaminate more than 100 billion gallons of drinking water to unsafe levels, according to drilling company disclosures in New York State and published studies. (NYDEC DSGEIS 2009, Pagnotto 1961) That is more than 10 times as much water as the state of New York uses in a single day. (NYDEC DSGEIS 2009)

Fracking has already been linked to drinking water contamination and property damage in Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wyoming and other states. (Lustgarten 2008a, 2008b)

Despite the risks, Congress in 2005 exempted hydraulic fracturing, except fracturing with diesel fuel, from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Diesel is the only substance for which drillers must seek a permit before it is injected underground. (SDWA 2009)

Based on a six-month investigation of chemical disclosure records filed by several of the largest drilling corporations and interviews with regulators in five states, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that: 

(click below for recommendations)

http://www.ewg.org/drillingaroundthelaw

EPA has new web-based tool for accessing wastewater pollutant discharge information

EPA has released a "beta" version of a new web-based tool for accessing
wastewater pollutant discharge information. EPA is seeking comment on
how to improve this tool and on the accuracy of the discharge monitoring
data supporting it. This new tool also supports the Agency's Clean Water
Act Action Plan, which seeks to improve transparency of information and
public knowledge about pollutant releases that may cause water quality
impairments. See: http://www.epa.gov/oecaerth/civil/cwa/cwaenfplan.html.

The new tool allows anyone to search and identify the amount, type, and
location of wastewater pollutant discharges and the identity of the
discharger. In short, the tool will allow users to search on "who" is
discharging "what" and "where." EPA has designed the tool for two main
audiences: (1) members of the general public (concerned citizens,
researchers), and (2) technical users (NPDES permit writers, watershed
modelers, and regulatory agencies). The increased access to wastewater
pollutant discharge data will allow for better transparency of
wastewater pollutant discharges and enhanced utility of the data.
Specifically, technical users of the new tool can enhance their
development of NPDES permit effluent limits, improve their watershed
pollution budget plans (Total Maximum Daily Loads, or "TMDLs"), and
refine their modeling of watersheds.

EPA is releasing this new tool as a "beta" version to obtain public
input on how to improve it. EPA will be accepting comments on the new
tool through February 4, 2011. This two-month period will also allow
reviewers to submit requests to EPA to correct any data they suspect is
in error. The beta version of the tool offers wastewater pollution data
from 2007. EPA plans to add data from subsequent years after this public
comment period.

To access the "beta" version of the tool go to:
http://www.epa.gov/pollutantdischarges/

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Your input is welcome. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Carey A. Johnston, P.E.
U.S. EPA, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
ph: (202) 566 1014
johnston.carey@epa.gov

FRAC: Fracking Regulatory Action Center

Check here frequently for the latest news and information on regulations for the gas drilling industry in Arkansas.  Comment input deadlines are also posted.

It is sponsored by the Sierra Club.  

FRAC

 

 

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