Government
On March 18, 2010, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will conduct a comprehensive research study to investigate the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on water quality and public health.
Natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing that vital resource.
There are concerns that hydraulic fracturing may impact ground water and surface water quality in ways that threaten human health and the environment.
EPA Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Environmental Engineer Committee Hydraulic Fracturing Research Plan Review. 4/7/2010- 4/8/2010. The St Regis, 923 16th Street, NW, Washington DC 20006.
2011 EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan Review Panel Selections.
Disclaimer Although not required to do so, EPA generally posts public comments submitted to the SAB, Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (CASAC) or Council and their subcommittees on the internet to make them easily available to the public. Posting of public comments is not an Agency endorsement of, or agreement with, any information or viewpoints presented in the public comment, nor is it an Agency endorsement of the quality or correctness of such information and viewpoints. The SAB Staff intends to remove the public comments from the internet upon finalization of the pertinent advisory activity. Once removed, the comments may be obtained by contacting the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).
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Edward Hanlon 202-343-9946 hanlon.edward@epa.gov |
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Background Document- Evaluation Impacts to Underground Sources of DW by HF of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs. (PDF, 1 pp., 12,672 bytes) |
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| Agency-provided Background Material | Background Document- Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States-A Primer. (PDF, 116 pp., 5,359,127 bytes) |
| Agency-provided Background Material | Background Document-Unconventional Gas Shales Development Technology and Policy Issues. (PDF, 53 pp., 2,546,992 bytes) |
| Agency Briefing Material | EPA Presentation Materials, 4-6-10. (PDF, 22 pp., 776,783 bytes) |
| Charge to the Committee | Charge Questions - Advice on Hydraulic Fracturing Research . (PDF, 3 pp., 45,693 bytes) |
| Public Comments | List of Public Speakers-Hydraulic Fracturing April 2010 Meeting as of 4-6-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 17,113 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Chad Bradley, Representing Chesapeake Energy Corporation, 4-7-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 1,350,622 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Craig Segall, Representing Sierra Club, 4-5-10. (PDF, 5 pp., 81,937 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Jennifer Peters, Representing Clean Water Network, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 124,334 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Keith Hastie, Representing US Fish and Wildlife Service, 4-7-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 433,041 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Lauren Pagel, Representing EARTHWORKS, 4-7-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 17,787 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Mary Krueger, Representing The Wilderness Society, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 75,525 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Mike Watts, Representing Halliburton Energy Services Inc., 4-6-10. (PDF, 6 pp., 72,197 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Mr. Lee Fuller, Representing Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and Energy In Depth (EID), 3-28-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 46,255 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement submitted by Mr. Richard Liroff, representing Investor Environmental Health Network, 3-26-10. (PDF, 6 pp., 85,739 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Oral Statement Submitted by Stephanie R. Meadows, Representing American Petroleum Institute, 4-6-10. (PDF, 5 pp., 26,559 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Presentation by Craig Segall, Representing Sierra Club, 4-5-10. (PDF, 9 pp., 333,895 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Presentation Submitted by Mary Krueger, Representing The Wilderness Society, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 2,008,663 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Beth Pierce, 4-6-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 11,822 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Bill Podulka, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 27,229 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by David and Ginny Farmer, Dryden, NY, 4-6-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 8,764 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Debra Anderson, Representing Red Rock Pictures, 4-6-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 12,177 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ellen Schmidt, Ithaca, New York, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 8,462 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Fernando de Aragón, Representing Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, 4-5-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 65,781 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Frances Littin, Representing Sheldrake Point Winery, 4-6-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 400,153 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Harry Levine, representing Advocates for Springfield, 4-7-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 11,361 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Honorable Brad Henry, Governor of the State of Oklahoma, 3-25-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 58,570 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Hugh Kimball, Baldwinsville NY, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 10,603 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Jan Zeserson, Ithaca, New York, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 11,494 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Jill Wiener, Callicoon Center NY, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 20,347 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Joe Wilson, Ithaca, NY, 4-5-10. (PDF, 5 pp., 47,843 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Kari Matsko, Representing Northeast Ohio Gas Accountability Project-NEOGAP, 4-6-10. (PDF, 13 pp., 746,003 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Karl Seeley, Representing Hartwick College, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 9,090 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ken Zeserson, Representing Town of Ulysses New York Planning Board, 4-5-10. (PDF, 50 pp., 567,832 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Kirk Glundal, Representing EarthEmbers, 4-6-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 8,789 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Marge Hubbert, Cortland New York, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 11,935 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Marilyn Hunt, 4-6-10. (PDF, 7 pp., 374,498 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Marilyn Hunt, 4-7-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 8,519 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mark Dunau, Representing Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, and Delaware County Farm Bureau of New York, 4-7-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 25,930 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Martha Robertson, Representing Tompkins County Legislature, 4-5-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 98,977 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Martha Robertson, Representing Tompkins County Legislature, 4-8-10. (PDF, 8 pp., 211,284 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Michael P. Crall, Representing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, 3-26-10. (PDF, 14 pp., 4,216,085 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Michael Scarna, Representing Trybe Inc., 4-6-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 106,094 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Michelle Bamberger, Representing Vet Behavior Consults, 4-6-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 15,088 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Ben Wallace, Representing Penneco Oil Company, 3-26-10. (PDF, 6 pp., 2,175,822 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Bob Bemis Representing Noble Energy, Inc., 3-29-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 51,412 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Bob Flournoy, Representing Energy Investment Partners-3-24-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 9,637 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Caswell F. Holloway, Representing New York City Department of Environmental Protection, 3-31-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 780,578 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments submitted by Mr. D. Gerow Baker, representing Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission-3-26-10. (PDF, pp., 2,957,003 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments submitted by Mr. Edwin P. Przybylowicz, Representing Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association, 3-27-10. (PDF, 15 pp., 2,524,294 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Gregory D. Russell, Representing the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, 3-29-10. (PDF, 7 pp., 1,394,322 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. James F. Barre, Representing Keuka Lake Association, 3-29-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 18,257 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Jeff Zimmerman, Representing Damascus Citizens for Sustainability and Friends of the Upper Delaware River, 3-29-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 75,495 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Keith Curley, Representing Trout Unlimited, 3-29-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 194,585 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Mike Paque, representing Ground Water Protection Council, 3-26-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 32,007 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Robert Neid, Representing Schoharie Valley Watch, 4-2-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 9,536 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. Steve Coffman, Representing Committee to Preserve the Finger Lakes, 3-26-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 23,286 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Mr. William Wegner, Representing Riverkeeper, Inc., 3-29-10. (PDF, 25 pp., 1,787,077 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ms. Katherine Klaber, Representing Marcellus Shale Coalition, 3-29-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 97,101 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ms. Kathleen M. Sgamma, Representing Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS), 3-29-10. (PDF, 7 pp., 344,892 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ms. Natalie Roy, Representing Clean Water Network, 3-29-10. (PDF, 6 pp., 120,366 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Oskar Schmidt, Ithaca, New York, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 9,210 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ramsay Adams, Representing Catskill Mountainkeeper, 4-6-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 23,009 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Ronald E. Bishop, Cooperstown, NY, 4-7-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 9,795 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Sandy Podulka, Brooktondale, NY, 4-7-10. (PDF, 9 pp., 59,415 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Sarah Gowin, Ithaca, New York, 4-5-10. (PDF, 1 pp., 12,707 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Scott M. Stringer, Representing Manhatten Borough, New York City, NY, 4-7-10. (PDF, 12 pp., 839,399 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Secretary of Energy Robert Wegener and Secretary of Environment J.D. Strong of the State of Oklahoma, 3-26-10. (PDF, 4 pp., 246,855 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Stephen L Dungan, Walton, NY, 4-5-10. (PDF, 2 pp., 15,423 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Stephen Penningroth, Ithaca, NY, 4-7-10. (PDF, 16 pp., 92,429 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Stuart Kemp, Representing Halliburton Energy Services Inc., 4-6-10. (PDF, 16 pp., 244,179 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted by Talia Lugacy, Hancock, NY, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 131,129 bytes) |
| Public Comments | Public Comments Submitted byTom Noonan, Hancock, NY, 4-6-10. (PDF, 3 pp., 76,172 bytes) |
Oil And Gas Development: Increased Permitting Activity Has Lessened BLM's Ability to Meet Its Environmental Protection Responsibilities
GAO-05-418 June 17, 2005
Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 70 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
Summary
Rising U.S. energy consumption and concerns about dependency on foreign energy sources have prompted the administration to aggressively pursue domestic oil and gas production, including production on public lands, which in turn has generated concern that the impacts of this activity may compromise the use of public land for other purposes.
GAO determined:
(1) the extent to which the level of oil and gas development on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has changed in recent years, and how the change has affected BLM's ability to mitigate impacts;
(2) what policy changes related to oil and gas development BLM recently made and how these policies affected BLM's environmental mitigation activities; and
(3) what challenges BLM faces in managing its oil and gas program.BLM's ability to meet its environmental mitigation responsibilities for oil and gas development has been lessened by a dramatic increase in oil and gas operations on federal lands over the past 6 years.
Daniel J. Soeder and William M. Kappel. "Water Resources and Natural Gas Production from the Marcellus Shale". U.S. Department of the Interior, Fact Sheet 2009-3032, May 2009. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 2009. (PDF)
See Figure 7: Example of a gel used in hydrofracturing to carry proppant into a fracture. Photograph by Daniel Soeder, USGS. Page 5.
See also:
Milici, Robert C. (2005). Assessment of undiscovered natural gas resources in Devonian black shales, Appalachian basin, eastern U.S.A.: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Abstracts Volume for the AAPG 2005 Annual Convention, p. A93.
Milici, Robert C. and Christopher S. Swezey. (2006) Assessment of Appalachian Basin Oil and Gas Resources: Devonian Shale–Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System.
"The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbon resources of the Appalachian Basin Province. The assessment province includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama."
U. S. EPA Office of Atmospheric Programs. (2006). Click on Executive Summary (PDF) (26 pp, 310K).
Provides a broad overview of all U.S. greenhouse gas emission sources and sinks, introduces key concepts and discusses the primary drivers for changes in emissions, which has resulted in global warming.
See: Global Warming Frequently Asked Questions
Greenhouse gases Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Methane (CH4) taken together account for 93% of all emissions, with 85% for (CO2) and 8% for (CH4). Enteric fermentation (flatulence and belching), taking place as a digestive by-product of cows and other ruminant animals accounts for less than half of the Methane emissions. Coal mining and natural gas systems, in addition to the (CO2) emissions of vehicles used to transport water add significantly to the total of all greenhouse gas emissions.
For pie charts graphically showing these percentages, see pages 20-22.
House Republican Leader John Boehner's blog. Posted by Kevin Boland on July 14th, 2009.
Boehner said, "Democrats talk about creating jobs - but Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax will cost 2.5 million American jobs each year and will punish every American who dares to flip on a light switch or drives a car.
Democrats are also floating a half-a-trillion dollar tax hike on small businesses as part of their trillion-dollar government-run health care proposal, another sure job-killer."
Boehner was first elected to Congress in 1990, representing a district that includes parts of the suburbs of Cincinnati and Dayton. As a member of Gang of Seven, a group of G.O.P. freshman reformers who demanded that the names of colleagues who had overdrafts at the House bank be made public, Mr. Boehner angered Congressional veterans.
But he quickly became a top lieutenant of Newt Gingrich, the Republican leader in the House who became speaker when the party took control in 1994. Mr. Boehner helped to draft and champion the party's Contract With America. Read More...
For the other side of the Energy Debate, see Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) Newsroom Web Page, and her blog, The Gavel-Draining the Swamp.
The Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will hold a hearing entitled, "Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Drinking Water: Risks to Human Health and the Environment," on Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
This hearing will examine the science and regulation of endocrine disruptors that may be found in sources of drinking water. Posted Tuesday, 23 February 2010. See TEDX — The Endocrine Disruption Exchange.
INVITED WITNESSES:
- Jim Jones, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Environmental Protection Agency
- Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., Director, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences
- Gina Solomon, M.D., M.P.H., Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Christopher J. Borgert, Ph.D., President and Principal Scientist, Applied Pharmacology and Toxicology, Inc.
PRESS CONFERENCE: Senator Boxer to Hold Press Conference on Murkowski Proposal to Overturn EPA Global Warming Endangerment Finding.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, will be joined by other Members of the EPW Committee and public health and environmental leaders to discuss Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) proposal which would strip the authority under the Clean Air Act to protect children and families from carbon pollution.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) Newsroom Web Page. Includes links to Energy & Commerce Commitee website. The American Clean Energy and Security Act (2009).
For the other side of the Energy debate, see John Boehner's Blog.
An archived Nancy Pelosi blog page.
Americans need Consumer Protection when it comes to Energy and Power.
See The CLEAR Act. (2010): In the wake of the BP disaster, Congress is acting on its commitment to protect America’s families and businesses, rebuild the Gulf Coast, hold BP and oil companies accountable, and work to ensure that a spill of this kind never happens again.
On July 30th, the House passed the CLEAR Act (H.R. 3534) by a vote of 209-193—legislation to effectively prevent and respond to oil spills and protect our coastal communities and waters:
Pelosi has been on it! The MMS has failed us. State monitoring of Horizontal Drilling will not protect consumers. Gas Drilling needs the same Federal scrutiny as Oil Drilling.
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's blog, includes statements by government representatives on 110th congress H.R.6899 Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act.
The MMS (Minerals and Mining Service) was first brought to my attention through Pelosi's Blog.
Natural Resources Hearing on the Department of Interior Scandal
Thursday, September 18th, 2008 by Karina
Today, the House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall, is holding a full Committee oversight hearing on “Recent Interior Department Inspector General Investigations on Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Collections.” Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Department of the Interior Inspector General Earl Devaney are testifying. Watch the live webcast.
Congressional Research Service. Anthony Andrews, Coordinator, Specialist in Energy and Energy Infrastructure. CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress. October 30, 2009. 53 pages.
"...The saline “flowback” water pumped back to the surface after the fracturing process poses a significant environmental management challenge in the Marcellus region."
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process — from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.
See: What is the Congressional Research Service?
It is ironic that the following report was about to be published on April 20, 2010, the day the BP Deepwater Horizon platform caught fire, resulting in the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
See also:
Humphries, Marc, Robert Pirog, and Gene Whitney. U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, April 26, 2010. (PDF).
Additional authors of Unconventional Gas Shales:
Peter Folger
Specialist in Energy and Natural Resources Policy
Marc Humphries
Analyst in Energy Policy
Claudia Copeland
Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy
Mary Tiemann
Specialist in Environmental Policy
Robert Meltz
Legislative Attorney
Cynthia Brougher
Legislative Attorney
