Public Comments Sought for New Fracking Website

Well, it appears the Government may be of mixed thoughts for this one. Some states are flat out getting militant against the Fracking for how seriously they're pursuing ways to stop it. Others are pushing equally hard to keep the Feds clear out of it and let states keep doing what they've been doing. (Flammable drinking water and all). The compromise, if it can be called that, appears to be a website where the drilling companies would be required to list the chemicals in use and a part of the fracking process.

WASHINGTON (CN) - The Department of the Interior seeks comments on a proposed rule that would require drilling companies to publicly disclose chemicals used in fracking.

The rule would require drilling companies to publicly disclose the chemicals used in fracking on the public website FracFocus.org, and it would require "flowback" fluids to be stored in closed containers. It also would expand evaluation methods used to assess whether cement may have adequately separated water sources from the fracking borehole, which is related to keeping ground water from being contaminated.

for a quick recap to those unfamiliar with what Fracking is....

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a drilling technique involving million of gallons of water, sand and chemicals injected into dense rock or shale at high pressure, creating cracks that allow the release of natural gas or oil that was previously trapped and inaccessible. The practice has been around for decades but has been increasingly used within the last decade by companies eager to jump on a growing, albeit controversial, section of the U.S. economy fueled by a push for domestic energy sources.

and of course, the 'balanced' view...

"The rapid expansion of this practice (fracking) has caused public concern about whether fracturing can lead to or cause the contamination of underground water sources, whether the chemicals used in fracturing should be disclosed to the public and whether there is adequate management of well integrity," according the Department's action.

Many states have developed their own regulations for fracking and some stakeholders say the federal government, by proposing its new regulation, is only creating a redundancy problem.

(Source: Courthouse News)

To give a bit more background here...and just why it may be important to offer your own comments to the Feds submission on this new action (Comment periods really can have impact, if used), here is some more material.

First, where are the areas located?



What are some current regulations?

(Imagery Source: How states are regulating fracking (2012)

...and finally, an overview of the physical process involved here.

(Source)

I believe if this happened above ground and where people could easily see it, it wouldn't be a debate and the outcry would have been deafening to stop this process, long ago. Now if it's harmless, so be it. Prove it, is my general feeling. As one living right in the middle of the Midwestern Earthquake swarms that...by coincidence, happen to mirror Fracking land areas? I point to my State's Motto with gusto. 'Show Me'.

I'm welcoming anything we can get that requires more disclosure, more data and more basic facts to work with for knowing what is being done in our name.

Looking at the map there where it can kinda help one interpret where the majority of sink-holes will find themselves in the near future?

I think so. Their (popping-up) pretty frequently anymore?

There's more reason not to do stupid gas-pocket pressure loss/collapse of cavity...poison the population.
Don't they know the answer by now?

Let's pursue clean energy where the consequences are healthy?

I guess one must be healthy in the head to be able to think in terms of health?