Growing Concerns Over Fracking
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-08-29/growing-concerns-over-fracking
The S.E.C. has asked oil and gas companies for details about a controversial natural gas drilling method. Growing concerns over fracking and the role of natural gas in the U.S. economy.
Guests
Joseph Romm
senior fellow, the Center for American Progess; he runs the blog ClimateProgress.org; former acting assistant secretary of Energy under President Clinton.
Deborah Solomon
reporter, The Wall Street Journal.
Kevin Book
managing director of research, ClearView Energy Partners.
Ian Urbina
investigative reporter, The New York Times.
Comments
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I live in Texas and they are drilling holes all over this area. I would like to know if what they are doing is so safe. Why, are the drilling companies fighting using tags in their drilling fluids? So, if there is a problem they can be held responsible.
One other item.
If natural gas is so clean and great? Why don't they use it to run their compressors and equipment? You can see brown smoke pouring out of the drilling sites.
I believe the grouting may be unable to withstand the tremendous vibratory forces from the bit turning to a horizontal angle. Is the grout tested by an independent geo-technical agency, and has it been prove to work under such extreme circumstances. I also believe this should come under federal regulation since water and pollutants cross state lines eventually.
Larry Simpson
Industry spokesperson and other advocates for "fracking" always make the point that the process is occurring deep underground - far away from our freshwater supplies.
This position assumes that nothing could possibly go wrong between the surface operations and the target site - as if the conduits to the gas deposits can be made foolproof.
I suspect that the industry persons failing to point this out aren't unaware of this concern, but are simply engaging in profit-motivated deceit.
It is time for the natural gas industry to stop pretending they are completely sure that fracking is safe.
The risk they are making us take is too great. It is especially hypocritical to push natural gas as the safer alternative to nuclear energy, when there is ample reason to investigate whether the extraction of the gas is triggering earthquakes, which in turn endanger the containment of nuclear energy and waste.
Who will they sell their natural gas to if they trigger a release of radioactivity?
We should not be lied to when there are such devastating risks.
Barbara Bellows-TerraNova
Salt Lake City, Utah
A group of local citizens around the Athens Ohio region have organized around the fracking issue in our area. They have been committed to becomeing more well informed and informing others about "fracking".
Diane and team wish you folks would have this group on your program. Shelly Stark leads the charge.
The whole concept of fracking on its face just seems like poor judgement. We have a real problem with dependency on a limited resource (hydrocarbons). So in an attempt to get more, we are going to inject vast amounts of another limit resource (fresh water) into the ground below a level the industry says is at drinking water level essentially putting it out of reach. It is just the most short-sighted thing imaginable.
I think it's interesting that France has banned fracking. Could anyone comment on this? - thanks
What would your guest encourage land owners to do in regard to becoming better informed about fracking, signing leases etc?
And Diane wish you would have reps from small groups of people who are trying to educate locals about fracking on your program. You could start by having the group of Athens Ohio residents who are organizing around this issue
Kitty...interesting
Are there any examples of communities saying no fracking way?
Kitty was right. France has said no to fracking
The French Public Says No to 'Le Fracking'
Opposition around Paris and southern France has halted the plans of energy titans such as Total
By Tara Patel
This Issue
magazine cover
April 4, 2011
Johnson & Johnson: Ouch!
Natural gas may be poised for a post-Fukushima boom, but even it faces hurdles. In the U.S. and Europe, concerns have been growing about the environmental impact of drilling for gas trapped in shale formations. And in France, José Bové—the French environmental activist, farmer, McDonald's (MCD) antagonist, and onetime Presidential candidate—has brought the nascent search for shale gas and oil to a halt.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_15/b4223060759263.htm
"The French parliament has passed a law banning fracking, while the US state of New Jersey has made moves in a similar direction."
Can your guest discuss the decision of the French parliament?
http://westerndowns.group-action.com/2011/08/07/french-ban-sparks-queens...
I am a landowner surrounded by neighbors who have signed lease agreements with gas drilling companies. The gas companies can take gas from my land using a procedure called "compulsory integration," paying me the minimum royalty allowed by law.
Whatever happened to property rights? Why am I not allowed to keep my gas under my land until such time as I choose to sell it (or leave it to my grandchildren as part of my estate)?
In regard to fracking - the recent East Coast earthquake proved that we have active faults in our area; it shook the home office of our engineering firm in Ithaca (a wood-framed house) so everyone vacated the building. Even though the drilling is taking place far below the ground, gases and perhaps also fracking fluids can move through faults.
Please ask if it's possible a deal was made with Cuomo and Republicans re fracking and same-sex marraige. isn't it strange the announcements came so close together.
Diane, your choice of Kevin Book as an "expert" is beneath even your usual minimal standards.
Look for details about "Clearview Energy Partners." Their website says absolutely NOTHING -- no information, no names, no content, no links: http://www.cvenergy.com/public/Index.asp
With little effort, though, you can discover that Clearview's Managing Director (and its founder, http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=71049 ) is F. Chase Hutto III ( http://www.linkedin.com/pub/f-chase-hutto-iii/14/185/624 ) who lists his previous employment as "Deputy Assistant for Domestic and Economic Policy at The Office of Vice President Richard B. Cheney."
(By the way, Clearview's previous Managing Director was Kevin Kolevar ( http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-kolevar/9/b96/287 ), now a Director of Public Policy and Issues Management at The Dow Chemical Company, responsible for creating, promoting, and profiting from many of the toxic fluids that fracking injects into our groundwater. Both these men spent time working in the office of Spencer Abraham -- perhaps the most embarrassingly anti-environmental public figure Michigan has ever had the shame of spawning.)
But, back to Dick Cheney. If you're familiar at all with this issue, you'll know that Halliburton (where Cheney was CEO) is credited with inventing fracking, is largely responsible for the utter lack of regulatory and reporting restrictions, and continues to make billions of dollars using the process.
So, my question is: how inbred do your guests need to become before YOU begin to address it?
Could you PLEASE disclose these severe conflicts of interest? PLEASE?
T Boone Pickens had tons of commercials on several years ago about developing wind energy sources. Then he jumped over to natural gas and fracking. How much did Pickens moving his attention have on our nation moving their attention to fracking>
In upstate NY we have been concerned about the disposal water (produced water) which can be more contaminated than the fracking fluid. Would your guests comment on this issue.
How does a land owner next to another land owner who has signed an agreement for fracking know that their gas wells are not being tapped?
Re: the question about lobbying, the most important instance of lobbying may be something that happened in the past. My understanding is that a few years ago, during the Bush administration, fracking was exempted from both the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, thanks in part to VP Cheney's influence. I believe that he is connected with one or more of the companies involved significantly in fracking.
There are now bills in Congress to correct this, but I think they have little traction thus far.
I live in Michigan, and fracking is becoming an issue here too.
Jan Wright
Does natural gas stay in the US or is it sold on the open market like oil is?
The Village of Yellow Springs in Ohio recently passed a resolution calling for a statewide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing
Are there other communities in the US saying no fracking way
http://www.daytoncitypaper.com/no-fracking-way-2/
No one discusses the stability of the shale and other geological features and soil. Doesn't the drilling and drawing of gass from so many small crevices, creating an evenutal vacuum after water draw away.?
I live in Florida and recently Michelle Bachman has said that she would support oil and natural gas drilling in the Everglades. She has also said she would disban the EPA and leave the experts to decide the regulations. With what we know now about all the detriment to the environment that fracking and drilling causes, should Floridians be concerned? I am also in the wastewater industry and am very concerned over the statements to let the wastewater folks take care of the mess!
Thanks for your comments!
2 areas not even mentioned are the frack water disposal in injection wells like here in Ohio and also the talk already by the nat gas industry to export nat gas while hyping the energy independence of the US
What are the guests' responses to the documentary "Gasland" and the noted cases of water contamination and air pollution? What is the drilling company's legal responsibility for remediation, if any?
Pattybeer has good point!
The question of 'fracking fluid' is controversial, but misleading. Frack fluid is dangerous and spills have been noted in PA and other places.
However, geologists note, a far more dangerous problem is stray gas. The chemical makeup of raw natural gas under pressure typically contains much benzene, toluene and other BTEX compounds, impacting local air / water quality and human health. BTEX compounds are endocrine disruptors, cancer hazards and cause brain dysfunction, see Dr. Theo Colborn's work with The Endocrine Disruptor Exchange, and the movie "Split Estate' about fracking in Colorado.
As well, raw gas from the Marcellus can contain heavy brine content, and radioactive materials (NORMS).
These residues come back up in the course of a typical frack job, and so far as I know, simply cannot be treated by any known technology.
Finally, consider the oncoming climate adaptation challenge.
Risks like this will only magnify... not sane.
What are the learnings from several years of fracking in the Barnett Shale under the Dallas / Ft Worth, TX area can be applied and brought to bear on the discussion about Pennsylvania?
One of your guest just said that the decisions about fracking should be based soundly in science. Is there really enough science on fracking yet?
Land Use should be another concern. You can not build over abandoned well sites or pipelines. Putting well pads surrounding cities restricts future growth of the town or city.