Deep in a surprisingly critical, full of surprising facts article published Monday, June 8, 2009 in the Fort Worth Business Press I was shocked to learned that the Shreveport Times, on April 29, reported that 19 Louisiana cattle died after exposure to a fluid that originated from a Chesapeake Energy drilling operation in Louisiana.An entity calling itself Schlumberger Ltd. was doing a frac job when the cattle died.
The cattle poisoning is being investigated by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
Below is the first paragraph of the Fort Worth Business Press article titled "States or Feds: Who gets to regulate hydraulic fracturing?".....
A controversial process used in natural gas drilling, and crucial to the Barnett Shale’s development, is at the center of a tug-of-war dispute between the energy industry and some legislators over whether hydraulic fracturing should be regulated by the state or the federal government.
A recent push by federal legislators to repeal the Energy Policy Act of 2005 could mean companies that employ hydraulic fracturing, a means of stimulating and opening up a well, would have to answer to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Act about the chemicals they use in the injection process.
Shocked? This company and others like it are poisoning water and air nationwide and are above the law. Rather, they had their payees write the laws for them. Reports like this are more common every day.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. That was a great article in the Biz Press. John Tronche is getting bolder in reporting on the truth about this dirty industry. This is contrary to most of their gas drilling reporting thus far.
He actually nailed them. Here's a toast to Mr. Tronche!
This is absolutely horrible! I think it's fundamental that strict Federal Regulations are enforced, and by the way...why should there be any question? The Democrat controlled Congress is supposed to be immune to BIG BUSINESS...
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is OMG. Picture done grossed me out!!! What government does and gets away with is wrong way wrong. We eat that sorta stuff NOT knowing. Their sneaky...
ReplyDeleteTootsie. You live in Washington. I don't think you have to worry, too much, about eating any of our Texas or Louisiana cows that have been contaminated by the natural gas drillers. But, just to be on the safe side, I think you should give up beef. For more reasons than the gassy one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad, unfortunate incident. That being said, it is extremely rare and should not lead to excessive regulation that will only end up costing all of us money (ineffective use of tax dollars, higher energy bills due to increased controls). People die everyday in car crashes, but I do not hear a public outcry to lower the speed limit. There is a cost and benefit to everything we do.
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