This article originally provided by The Charleston Gazette

May 28, 2011

Democrats want hearing on Marcellus impacts

By Paul J. Nyden

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  Democrats on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce want to hold congressional hearings on the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, which recovers gas and oil reserves deep underground.

Drilling for Marcellus Shale gas is becoming a major issue in West Virginia, promising to create thousands of new jobs, but also posing potential environmental problems by fracturing underground rock formations to free gas reserves.

Reps. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif.; Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.; and Diana DeGette, D-Colo., sent a letter to committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., last Thursday.

They focused on a report they recently released containing the "first comprehensive national inventory of chemicals used by hydraulic fracturing companies during the drilling process."

In their May 26 letter, Waxman, Markey and DeGette stated: "While hydraulic fracturing and the increased use of natural gas hold great promise, it is essential that the technique be adequately regulated to prevent risks to health and the environment."

Their investigation recently uncovered evidence that oil and gas companies injected more than 30 million gallons of diesel fuel into the ground during drilling of natural gas wells between 2005 and 2009, in violation of federal law.

In April, the Energy Committee Democrats released a new analysis revealing millions of gallons of fluids used in hydrofracking contained 29 different chemicals known to be possible carcinogens.

That report found drilling companies also "used 94 millions gallons of hydraulic fracturing fluids containing 'proprietary' or 'trade secret' compounds, often without full knowledge of their risks or hazard profiles."

The companies refused to identify those chemicals and compounds. 

On April 19, the May 26 letter noted, a shale gas well operated by Chesapeake Energy caused a spill of thousands of gallons of fluids that required at least 100 nearby residents be evacuated from their homes in Pennsylvania.

Marcellus Shale is one of the world's biggest gas deposits, ranging from western New York and Pennsylvania, down through eastern Ohio and most of West Virginia. The Mountain State's deposits, typically located between 6,000 and 8,000 feet underground, are concentrated in the northern counties.

Hydrofracking production in the region has already reached its highest level in decades. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates Marcellus reserves have enough natural gas to supply the country for 110 years.

The U.S. Congress has asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study the impact of hydrofracking on drinking water and groundwater. But EPA will not release its initial findings until early next year. Its final report will be completed by 2014, the Waxman letter pointed out.

While several other House and Senate committees have held hydrofracking hearings, Waxman wrote, "the Energy and Commerce Committee has not held a single hearing to address the questions raised about shale gas development over the course of this year. We think this is a mistake."

The minority staff of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce released the April report titled, "Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing."

DeGette said, "We learned that over the four-year period studied, over 1.5 million gallons of carcinogens were injected into the ground in Colorado."

The report, covering the years between 2005 and 2009, also pointed out:

• The 14 leading oil and gas service companies used more than 780 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 different chemicals and other components.

• Components "ranged from generally harmless and common substances, such as salt and citric acid, to extremely toxic substances, such as benzene and lead."

• BTEX compounds -- benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene -- are defined as "contaminants" under the Safe Drinking Water Act and as "hazardous air pollutants" under the Clean Air Act.

• Hydrofracking companies injected 11.4 million gallons of liquids underground containing at least one BTEX chemical.

• The companies used 94 million gallons of 279 products containing at least one component that manufacturers considered "proprietary" or a "trade secret."

Many supporters of Marcellus Shale production focus on its positive economic impacts.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition, based in Canonsburg, Pa., recently pointed out, "The industry has and continues to transform small western Pennsylvania outposts such as Washington, Hickory and Canonsburg from sleepy communities to boomtowns and has changed the national conversation about how we heat our homes and power our vehicles."

Tom Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor and Homeland Security Secretary, recently said, "All of a sudden you've found yourself with an abundant source of energy ... and, by the way, it's made in America."

Today, Ridge is an adviser to the Marcellus Shale Coalition.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.