EnviroPolitics Blog

EPA’s fracking study plan open for public comment

Making environmental news today is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement that its draft study plan on hydraulic fracturing has been submitted for review to the agency’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), a group of independent scientists.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process in which large volumes of water, sand and chemicals are injected at high pressures to extract oil and natural gas from underground rock formations. The process creates fractures in formations such as shale rock, allowing natural gas or oil to escape into the well and be recovered. Over the past few years, the use of hydraulic fracturing for gas extraction has increased and has expanded over a wider diversity of geographic regions and geologic formations.

EPA scientists are undertaking a study of the process, also know as hydrofracturing or fracking, to better understand any potential impacts it may have, including on groundwater. EPA announced its intention to conduct the study in March 2010 and use the best available science, independent sources of information, a transparent, peer-reviewed process and with consultation from others. Since then, the agency has held a series of public meetings across the country and has developed a draft plan for moving forward with the study.

The EPA says that the proposed research “includes the full lifespan of water in hydraulic fracturing, from acquisition of the water, through the mixing of chemicals and actual fracturing, to the post-fracturing stage, including the management of flowback and produced or used water and its ultimate treatment and disposal. “

The SAB plans to review the draft plan March 7-8, 2011. Stakeholders and the public will have an opportunity to provide comments to the SAB during their review. The agency will revise the study plan in response to the SAB’s comments and then begin the study. Initial research results and study findings are expected to be made public by the end of 2012, with the goal of an additional report following further research in 2014. More information on hydraulic fracturing

EPA’s fracking study plan open for public comment Read More »

Former PADEP Secretary joins Eckert Seamans law firm

Pennsylvania’s former chief environmental guardian will now be looking out for the interests of clients of the national law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.

John R. Hanger will concentrate on alternative energy, clean transportation infrastructure, energy efficiency, competitive energy markets and smart grid, according to a news release from the firm.

“As I considered potential opportunities, I was extremely impressed by Eckert Seamans. It has tremendous resources and capabilities in the utility and energy sector, and the firm provides a great foundation to draw on my knowledge of clean energy technologies and to help clients in a meaningful way, ” Hangar said. “Globally in 2010 $251 billion was invested in clean energy, and investment is growing rapidly. I look forward to contributing to the firm’s continued growth in these areas.”

Hanger served as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for more than two years under former Governor Edward G. Rendell. He also is a former Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and had served as the chair of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, chair of the Pennsylvania Mine Safety Board, vice-chair of Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure Investment Authority, and as a member of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

Prior to serving in the Rendell administration, Hanger was President and CEO of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) where he promoted clean energy supplies and technologies.

Prior to his time with PennFuture, from 1993 to 1998, Hanger was a commissioner with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), where he served on the Electricity Committee, the Consumer Affairs Committee, and the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). He advocated for policies that allow consumers to choose their electric, gas and telephone companies; that assist low-income families; and those that benefit the environment, such as net metering, energy conservation, and renewable energy. Hanger has been described as the architect of Pennsylvania’s Electricity Generation Competition and Customer Choice Act that passed in 1996.

Hanger earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law and his undergraduate degree at Duke University. He will be working from Eckert’s Harrisburg office.

Former PADEP Secretary joins Eckert Seamans law firm Read More »

Check out our updated Enviro-Events Calendar

Stay up to date on environmental seminars, forums, education, social, and networking opportunities in
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware.

Check out our Enviro-Events Calendar.

Environmental Events this week

Feb 5: Cumberland County (NJ) 10th Annual Eagle Festival
Feb 5: Whitesbog Village Winter Hike
Feb 8: Pennsylvania House’s Environmental Resources & Energy Committee

Feb 8: Rutgers University Course: Site Remediation Basics
Feb 8: Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Advisory Board

Feb 9: Lean Manufacturing – How Using EHS Software Can Make It a Reality

Feb 10: World of Possibilities: Transitioning to Green Forum

Feb 10: The Solar Food Chain in the Mid Atlantic Region

Feb 11: Building a Sustainable Future for NJ’s Coastal and Ocean Economy

(Get the details on the events above-and more-at Enviro-Events Calendar)

When you visit the calendar, sign up to receive free updates.

We’ll alert you when new events are added–either by email or we’ll add it to your reader.
Your choice.

And be sure to use Enviro-Events Calendar to publicize your upcoming event.

Just sent your information to editor@enviropolitics.com. We’ll list it for free.

Tell your friends and colleagues about this great service–Enviro-Events Calendar

Our most recent posts:
New Jersey solar zoning bills ready for final floor vote
Another sad day for journalism in New Jersey
First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works
Who should pay for electric vehicle recharging stations?
EPA NOT changing air standards for carbon monoxide
The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all

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New Jersey solar zoning bills ready for final floor vote

The two bills that we profiled in Pro-solar bills to get NJ committee hearing on Thursday were released yesterday by the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee.

Both are now in position for a final legislative vote by the full Assembly.

The identical measures would limit the ability of any municipality to frustrate the installations of solar-energy systems through zoning restrictions.

They also prevent municipalities from imposing any fee that exceeds the municipality’s processing costs for an application pertaining to the approval, installation, or operation of a solar-energy or small wind-energy system.

You can read the bill details–and see copies of the legislation–by clicking on the above link to Monday’s post.

Our most recent posts:
Another sad day for journalism in New Jersey
First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works
Who should pay for electric vehicle recharging stations?
EPA NOT changing air standards for carbon monoxide
The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all

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Another sad day for journalism in New Jersey

Tomorrow will be the last day of employment for half of the staff at the Daily Record
in Morristown.

The Gannett layoffs follow in the wake of similar cost-saving moves at other New Jersey dailies, including the state’s largest paper, The (Newark) Star-Ledger, which made a series
of deep cuts in recent years.

Fred Snowflak, who has been the editorial page editor at the Daily Record since 1999, as well a political columnist, leads the band of scribes who will be without a job next week.

He makes a bittersweet mention of the departures in a blog post today.

Our most recent posts:
First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works
Who should pay for electric vehicle recharging stations?
EPA NOT changing air standards for carbon monoxide
The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all
EPA seeks input on regulating largest GHG sources

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First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works

Reversing a Bush administration decision, the Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it the developing a regulation for perchlorate, a naturally occurring and man-made chemical that research shows may impact the normal function of the human thyroid.

The federal agency said that monitoring data shows more than 4 percent of public water systems have detected perchlorate and between 5 million and 17 million people may be served drinking water containing perchlorate. The science that has led to teh decision has been peer reviewed by independent scientists and public health experts including the National Academy of Sciences, the EPA said.

Perchlorate is both a naturally-occurring and man-made chemical that is used in the manufacture of rocket fuel, fireworks, flares and explosives, and may be present in bleach and in some fertilizers. This decision reverses a 2008 preliminary determination by the previous administration, and considers input from almost 39,000 public comments.

Looking ahead: Drinking water standard for VOCs

Also In a separate action, the agency is also moving towards establishing a drinking water standard to address a group of up to 16 toxic volatile organic compounts (VOCs) that may pose risks to human health. The VOC chemicals to be addressed include trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), as well as other regulated and some unregulated contaminants that are discharged from industrial operations.

The VOC standard will be developed as part of EPA’s new strategy for drinking water, announced by the administrator in March 2010. A key principle of the strategy, according to the EPA, is to address contaminants as groups rather than individually in order to provide public health protections more quickly and also allow utilities to more effectively and efficiently plan for improvements.

“Clean water is critical to the health and prosperity of every American community and a fundamental concern to every American family. EPA is hard at work on innovative ways to improve protections for the water we drink and give to our children, and the development of these improved standards is an important step forward,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Our decisions are based on extensive review of the best available science and the health needs of the American people.”

More information on the EPA”s drinking water strategy

Our most recent posts:
Who should pay for electric vehicle recharging stations?
EPA NOT changing air standards for carbon monoxide
The NJ wind forum that did not blow by you after all
EPA seeks input on regulating largest GHG sources
EPA weighs using vapor intrusion as a Superfund criteria

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First-ever national standard for perchlorate in the works Read More »