This website is a joint project of the Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. It was launched on April 11, 2011 and only covers wells drilled starting in 2011. It appears to be an attempt at Gas Industry "transparency" and has funding support from the U.S. Depatment of Energy (DOE). It claims to disclose the chemical additives used in the hydraulic fracturing process on a well-by-well basis.
Of all the lobbyists bringing their issues to Capitol Hill, the Groundwater Protection Council is one of the smaller players. I have to wonder, reading the rankings on Open Secrets, "Lobbying Spending Database: Environment, 2009", why this groundwater organization spends less on its annual lobbying than "Fur Wraps the Hill" or the "Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy"? Groundwater is a hot button national issue, affecting both the urban and agricultural sectors.
The industry groups proudly stamping their logos on FracFocus need to come up with more cash or be outed as a do-nothing front organization advocating the corporate pillaging of our natural resources in the name of energy development. They wave the Tenth Amendment around like the flag at Iwo Jima.
How do they demonstrate the committment to "protecting our nation's ground water"? They conveniently share an address with the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC). 13308 N. MacArthur Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK.
IOGCC claims to have a noble mission but talk is cheap... They advocate less intervention by the Federal government on behalf of the shared resources in our environment. Twenty thousand bucks?
Read between the lines! Here is a letter written to Congress by the IOGCC calling for the Feds to keep their hands off! The $20,000 looks like a smokescreen to me. Pocket change...(Neil Zusman, 2011-05-24).
From their website:
On this site you can search for information about the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. You will also find educational materials designed to help you put this information in perspective.
See: Chu Names Panel to Study Fracking.
My critique of the NYT Green report
Broder's piece goes on to offer a smokescreen of protest by the right, but according to Dusty Horwitt of the Environmental Working Group, “An industry insider like John Deutch is completely unacceptable to lead this panel...It looks as if the Obama Administration has already reached the conclusion that fracking is safe.”
