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Environment

Interior Mulls Rules For Fracturing Chemicals

by Glenn Hess
December 13, 2010 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 88, Issue 50

The Interior Department is considering a policy change that would require energy companies to disclose the identity of the chemicals they use when extracting natural gas from shale on federal lands. “We’re engaging in the process to explore whether we need to revisit our policies regarding hydraulic fracturing,” Deputy Interior Secretary David J. Hayes remarked at a conference in Washington, D.C. Hydraulic fracturing involves high-pressure injections of water, sand, and chemical additives to break apart rock formations and allow natural gas or oil to flow. Environmental activists fear that the practice is contaminating groundwater, but oil and gas companies insist that the technology is safe. Republicans in the House of Representatives signaled that they will fight any effort to impose federal regulations on hydraulic fracturing. “State regulatory agencies are more than capable of carefully monitoring and managing energy development and water quality within their boundaries,” says Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, the ranking Republican on the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests & Public Lands.

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