You know how Wyoming has the strongest fracking disclosure bill in the nation? Well, guess what?
In Effort to Protect Public Health, Groups Seek Fracking Chemical Information
Under regulations approved in 2010, Wyoming became the first state in the nation to require well operators to disclose the identities of chemicals that are mixed with water and injected into the ground during fracking. But since the regulations were adopted, the Commission has approved some 50 chemical secrecy requests by Halliburton and other oil and gas service companies.
[…]
Disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemical information is a critical step in protecting public health and water quality. A review of the information that is already available is sobering: 78 percent of known fracking chemicals are associated with serious short-term health effects such as burning eyes, rashes, asthma-like effects, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, tremors, and convulsions. Between 22 and 47 percent of those chemicals also are associated with longer-term health effects, including cancer, organ damage, and harm to the endocrine system.
[…]
As additional states, such as Oklahoma and Ohio, and the federal government, and even some European countries, begin work on their chemical disclosure regulations, it is more important than ever to make sure that the trade secret exemption is not used improperly,” said Earthworks’ Senior Staff Attorney Bruce Baizel. “Unfortunately, our initial review of exemption requests showed that some companies appear to be taking advantage of the minimal state review.”
Can you image what the disclosure exemptions will be like in Texas? I heard they had to order additional rubber stamps.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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In Tx the only thing that peasants have to worry about is to stand back an adequate distance so as not to be innondated by the INK from the RUBBER STAMPS of the RRC and other regulators!
Arkansas was the second state to get a “disclosure rule.” The first draft released contained the “trade secret” clause and we got up in arms about it and made the calls and wrote the letters. Second draft had it removed so we stood down.
At the actual public input meeting with the commissioners voting everything was going along great and we figured the draft we had in our hands was what they were voting on.
At the last possible moment an attorney, who we believe was with Halliburton, was recognized by the board and allowed to reenter the trade secret clause which the board immediately and unanimously adopted and passed. No public comment was asked for or accepted and the members gathered their belongings and fled the scene.
You would have had to of been deaf and blind not to see that this was orchestrated before hand by the commissioners in cahoots with the gas companies.