Subcommittee Democrats Stress the Need to Ensure the Safety of Hydraulic Fracturing
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittees on Energy and Environment held a joint hearing entitled, “Review of Federal Hydraulic Fracturing Activities.” Testifying before the Subcommittees were representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (DOI/USGS), and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The stated purpose of this hearing was to review agencies’ hydraulic fracturing related research efforts, with a primary focus on examining progress under President Obama’s Executive Order 13605 and the associated interagency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). However, the Majority spent most of their time attacking the EPA.
The Executive Order is part of the President’s “All of the Above” approach to energy development. It established an interagency working group to support safe and responsible development of domestic natural gas resources. The Executive Order required that federal agencies coordinate plans for long-term research, resource assessment, and infrastructure development. To fulfill the Executive Order, USGS under the Department of Interior, DOE and EPA signed an interagency MOU to develop a multiagency research plan and established a Steering Committee.
Democrats on the Subcommittee noted the importance and potential of shale natural gas, but they also stressed the importance of ensuring that hydraulic fracturing is safe and environmentally sound.
Ranking Member of the Energy Subcommittee Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said, “I agree with those who say we need an “all of the above” approach to energy production. The emerging natural gas boom obviously provides an exciting opportunity for our nation - not to mention California - to create jobs and diversify energy options for both consumers and industry over the next several years. That said, when it comes to fracking, we need to proceed with extreme caution. We have to be careful that we extract this resource safely, without inadvertently polluting either our drinking water or the environment. Of particular concern to Californians is the possibility that hydraulic fracturing might cause earthquakes. It would be very short-sighted to produce energy via fracking only to find out later that it caused such damage.”
“According to the Energy Information Administration, shale gas is estimated to supply almost 50 percent of our gas in 20 years,” said Ranking Member of the Environment Subcommittee, Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR). “If that prediction is accurate, it is even more critical that this boom in natural gas production be accompanied by a clear development of best practices to identify and curb potential negative impacts. It is my hope that the multiagency research plan will address these very important questions in order to ensure the continued prosperity of the industry while preserving the health and safety of the general public… I am pleased that the Administration is calling upon the expertise of our federal agencies to ensure that we have the best scientific information available, use cutting-edge technology, and develop best practices for extracting this plentiful resource in a manner that is safe for our workers and the environment. I look forward to hearing how the agencies plan to research and address these issues.”
Subcommittee Democrats discussed a number of drilling-related issues with the witnesses such as induced seismicity; how the enormous amount of water used affects water availability; how wastewater is handled; the impact of methane emissions on our air quality; and how drilling impacts urban areas. They also discussed how federal investment in fracking technologies helped the natural gas industry become so successful. Ranking Members Bonamici and Swalwell both expressed hope that the federal government would make similar investments in clean energy technologies.
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