EPA report links fracking to groundwater contamination

** Updated at 10:16 p.m. on 12/11/11 to add Newsy video report**

For the first time, the federal government is linking the controversial natural gas extraction process known as fracking to contaminated drinking water.

In a draft report that has not yet undergone scientific peer review, an EPA study found that compounds likely associated with fracking chemicals had been
detected in the groundwater beneath a Wyoming community where residents
say their well water reeks of chemicals. 

The report is likely to heighten the already heated debate in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere over the adequacy of state and regional regulations governing the location and operation of fracking wells.

The gas industry has long held that there is no possible link between fracking and drinking water supplies since fracking takes place at much lower depths.

The EPA report provoked immediate criticism from Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma).

“This announcement is part of President Obama’s war on fossil fuels and
his determination to shut down natural gas production,” Inhofe said. “It
is irresponsible for EPA to release such an explosive announcement
without objective peer review.”


Fracking has become a politically and emotionally charged environmental issue in several of the states overlying the Marcellus Shale–a natural gas formation extending from New York, through Pennsylvania, and into portions of Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia.

A December 3 post on this blog [Shale gas fracking gets a new black eye: Illegal dumping] has draw more than a dozen responses from readers–some who condemn fracking, some who condemn those who condemn it, and some taking a less polarized approach.

Feel free to add your views at the bottom of that post or in the comment box below.

Related:
Investigation of Ground Water Contamination near Pavillion, Wyoming
EPA implicates fracking in causing pollution
Fracking likely linked to groundwater pollution in U.S.
Inhofe demands rigorous peer review for EPA fracking report
Anti-fracking bill clears NJ environmental committee
Anti-fracking bill before NJ Assembly committee today
Fracking foes celebrate a win but cannot declare victory
 
Our most recent blog posts:
Energy and environment bills in NJ Legislature on Dec 8 
Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/7/11 

Energy & environment legislation up in NJ Assembly
Shale gas fracking gets a new black eye: Illegal dumping

NJ court orders hearing on ‘no further action’ decision



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Energy and environment bills in NJ Legislature on Dec 8

Here’s the schedule for top energy and environmental legislation to be considered in committees of the New Jersey Legislature on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011.

SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS

12/08/11 10:00 AM – Committee Room 1, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, New Jersey


A-4114  Coughlin, C.J. (D-19); Wagner, C. (D-38);
Wisniewski, J.S. (D-19)
Allows all municipalities to sell and lease unneeded
public property for “urban” farming and gardening purposes.  Related Bill: S-2956
    
S-2618  Rice, R.L. (D-28); Cunningham, S.B. (D-31)
Codifies responsible contractor requirements for
contractors bidding for work through the Weatherization Assistance Program.
     
S-2646  Cunningham, S.B. (D-31)
Authorizes incinerator authorities to perform
sanitation, public works, and environmental services.
     
S-2949  Van Drew, J. (D-1); Stack, B.P. (D-33)
Requires municipalities to submit economic growth plans
to DCA for approval of continued participation in the urban enterprise zone
program.
     
S-2956  Vitale, J.F. (D-19); Rice, R.L. (D-28)
Allows all municipalities to sell and lease unneeded
public property for “urban” farming and gardening purposes.  Related Bill: A-4114
    

SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
12/08/11 1 PM – Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

A-3167  Coughlin, C.J. (D-19); Wagner, C. (D-38);
Conners, J. (D-7); Prieto, V. (D-32)
Authorizes zero-interest loans to local governments for
certain brownfield remediations; changes priorities for financial assistance
from Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund.  Related Bill: S-2278
   
S-1954  Smith, B. (D-17)
Establishes forest harvest program on State-owned land.
     
S-2278  Vitale, J.F. (D-19); Whelan, J. (D-2)
Authorizes zero-interest loans to local governments for
certain brownfield remediations; changes priorities for financial assistance
from Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund.
Related Bill: A-3167
        
S-2445  Vitale, J.F. (D-19)
Appropriates $1.047 million in 2003 bond act monies for
Sayreville flood control project.
Related Bill: A-3138
    

SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY
12/08/11 1 PM – Committee Room 10, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
S-735  Sacco, N.J. (D-32); Madden, F.H. (D-4)
Removes geographic restrictions on where United States
Park Police are authorized to make arrests for certain crimes and offenses.
   

ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS
12/08/11 2 PM – Committee Room 11, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ


A-2502  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); DeAngelo, W.P.
(D-14); Lampitt, P.R. (D-6)
Establishes “New Jersey Property Assessment Clean
Energy (NJ PACE) Municipal Financing Program.”  Related Bill: S-1406

    
A-4358  McKeon, J.F. (D-27)
Establishes forest harvest program on State-owned land.
     
S-1406  Smith, B. (D-17); Bateman, C. (R-16)
Establishes “New Jersey Property Assessment Clean
Energy (NJ PACE) Municipal Financing Program.” Related Bill: A-2502
     

ASSEMBLY HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

12/08/11 2 PM – Committee Room 16, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ.


A-4422  Greenwald, L.D. (D-6); DeCroce, A. (R-26);
Green, J. (D-22)
Extends expiration date of certain permits pursuant to
the “Permit Extension Act of 2008.”
    
ASSEMBLY REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND GAMING

12/08/11 2 PM – Committee Room 13, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
ACR-206  Barnes III, P.J. (D-18); McKeon, J.F. (D-27);
Gusciora, R. (D-15)
Determines that proposed DEP rules and regulations establishing
procedure for waiver of DEP rules are inconsistent with legislative intent.
Related Bill: SCR-239 

For
thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and
regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, subscribe to our daily
newsletter EnviroPolitics. It tracks all energy and environmental legislation–from introduction to enactment.  
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Our most recent blog posts:
Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/7/11 

Energy & environment legislation up in NJ Assembly
Shale gas fracking gets a new black eye: Illegal dumping

NJ court orders hearing on ‘no further action’ decision
Former NJ Gov. raps current NJ Gov. on RGGI pullout



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Energy and environment bills in NJ Legislature on Dec 8 Read More »

Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/7/11

Business, government and environmental leaders who subscribe
to EnviroPolitics accessed full versions of the environmental news
stories below in today’s edition
—and dozens more!

In Pennsylvania


Anti-fracking
advocates send New York water to Pennsylvania town Advocates who want to keep the natural-gas drilling
industry out of New York state are sending clean water to a northeastern
Pennsylvania village. About a dozen households in
Dimock, Pa., have been scrambling after a gas driller blamed for polluting the
aquifer halted daily water deliveries. Residents there say drilling has made
their water unfit to drink. Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. says it is
safe AP  Times-Tribune 


Revenue
for Marcellus Shale income taxes is lower than estimated The amount, in rent
and royalties, that Pa. residents are receiving from gas companies was estimated
at about $103 million but was more like $46 million AP




In New Jersey



SCI report: Ligambi a ‘garbage monster’ Reputed Mafia don Joseph “Uncle Joe”
Ligambi, who is awaiting trial on racketeering charges in Philadelphia, is a
“garbage mobster,” according to 
“Industrious Subversion,” a State Commission of Investigation  look at organized crime’s incursion into the
solid-waste-disposal and recycling industries
Inquirer  SHB
 NJ Spotlight

 


Natural gas,
nuclear get bigger role in energy plan New Jersey
will depend less on solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy
sources than originally proposed as Governor
Christie approved a plan Tuesday that calls for increased
reliance on natural gas and nuclear energy The
Record NJ Spotlight



Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/7/11 Read More »

Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/6/11

Business, government and environmental leaders who subscribe
to EnviroPolitics accessed full versions of the environmental news
stories below in today’s edition
—and dozens more!

In Pennsylvania


Dimock rejects Binghamton water offer A raucous atmosphere
took hold among a crowd of about 150 people at the Dimock municipal building
Monday night, as the township supervisors weighed Binghamton Mayor Matthew T.
Ryan ‘s proposal to truck City of Binghamton water to 11 Dimock families Gannett
story & video  Daily
Review



EPA criticizes state
for shale air pollution rules The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
has strongly criticized PA’s new policy guidelines for regulating air
pollutants emitted by Marcellus Shale gas wells and development sites located
in close proximity to one another Post-Gazette 



In New Jersey



Garbage industry still
a haven for organized crime? Enterprising criminals continue
to find a comfortable home in New Jersey’s solid-waste industry, slipping
through shoddy regulations and weak enforcement, according to a state
report issued Tuesday by the
SCI The
Record


Bear hunt
protestors win court battle Animal protection activists won
a small battle early Monday afternoon, when a state appeals court gave
them limited permission to protest the state-approved bear hunt outside
the high-traffic weigh station on Route 23 in Franklin
The
Record  Star-Ledger




Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/6/11 Read More »

Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/5/11

Business, government and environmental leaders who subscribe
to EnviroPolitics accessed full versions of the environmental news
stories below in today’s edition
—and dozens more:

In Pennsylvania


Cabot
report on whistleblower’s claims expected Wednesday Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. did not submit a report to state environmental
regulators as planned on Wednesday that will detail the natural gas driller’s
investigation of a whistle-blower’s claims of spills and cover-ups during the
first years of its Susquehanna County operations Scranton
Times-Tribune

Learning
too late the perils in gas well leases After Scott Ely
and his father talked with a salesman from an energy company about signing the
lease allowing gas drilling on their land in northern Pennsylvania, he said he
felt certain it required the company to leave the property as good as new New York Times



In New Jersey


BPU moves to block
PSE&G for special incentives State’s largest utility wants package worth
nearly $900 million for transmission line project  NJ
Spotlight



State Board
questions JCP&L earnings The
NJ Board of Public Utilities has decided to initiate a proceeding to look
into allegations that the state’s second-largest utility is earning
significantly more than what the agency has established as a reasonable
return on its investments NJ Spotlight > Sixteen towns mull dumping JCP&L AP




Top 2 environmental news stories for PA & NJ – 12/5/11 Read More »

Energy & environment legislation up in NJ Assembly


The following energy and environmental bills are posted
for floor votes in the New Jersey Assembly on Monday, December 5, 2011:


A-915  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Ramos Jr., R.J.
(D-33) 
Authorizes creation of local renewable energy
collaboratives and central renewable energy generation systems, and provides
for sale of renewable power generation.
Related Bill: S-463

    
A-2529  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Quijano, A. (D-20);
Stender, L. (D-22)
Concerns energy efficiency and renewable energy
requirements.
Related Bill: S-2306   
    
A-3688  Wilson, G.L. (D-5); Riley, C.M. (D-3);
Quijano, A. (D-20)
Authorizes Department of Agriculture to implement
mobile fresh produce markets for residents of urban “food desert”
communities.
Related Bill: S-2728    

A-3949  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Mainor, C. (D-31);
Riley, C.M. (D-3)
Provides certain collocations of wireless equipment,
minor site plan status.
Related Bill: S-2989    

A-3992  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17)

Provides for streamlined review of certain wind energy
generation facility installments
on farmland.  Related Bill: S-2887
A-4114  Coughlin, C.J. (D-19); Wagner, C. (D-38);
Wisniewski, J.S. (D-19)

Allows all municipalities to sell and lease unneeded
public property for “urban” farming and
gardening purposes.  Related Bill: S-2956   
A-4267  Wagner, C. (D-38); Prieto, V. (D-32); Bucco,
A.M. (R-25)

Allows counties and municipalities to use open space
trust funds for purchase of flood-prone
properties. Related Bill: S-3078   
AR-168  Albano, N.T. (D-1)
Urges USDA and other federal agencies to support State
efforts and fund solutions that reduce or eliminate the stink bug population.
S-463  Smith, B. (D-17); Buono, B. (D-18)
Authorizes creation of local renewable energy
collaboratives and central renewable energy generation systems, and provides
for sale of renewable power generation.
Related Bill: A-915

   
S-2126  Whelan, J. (D-2); Haines, P.E. (R-8);
Quijano, A. (D-20)

Permits development of solar and wind facilities and
structures on landfills and resource extraction operations under certain
circumstances. Related Bill: A-3139

   
S-2989  Codey, R.J. (D-27); Van Drew, J. (D-1)
Exempts certain collocations of wireless equipment
from site plan approval.
Related Bill: A-3949 

For thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and regulation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, subscribe to our daily newsletter EnviroPolitics. It tracks all energy and environmental legislation–from introduction to enactment.

Try it now for 30 days without cost or obligation. 

Our most recent blog posts:
Shale gas fracking gets a new black eye: Illegal dumping

NJ court orders hearing on ‘no further action’ decision
Former NJ Gov. raps current NJ Gov. on RGGI pullout
Anti-fracking bill clears NJ environmental committee
Need mulch? Give almost any town in North Jersey a call




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Energy & environment legislation up in NJ Assembly Read More »