Federal court pauses EPA’s rollback of Obama-era methane regulations
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Last week a federal court halted an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rollback of Obama-era methane emission regulations for the oil and gas industry, according to Natural Gas Intelligence.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered an administrative stay of the rollback, pending review of a request by 10 environmental groups led by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) for summary vacatur.
EPA was given 10 days to respond to the administrative stay.
Learn more: Natural Gas Intelligence > EPA’s rollback of oil, gas methane rules paused by court amid multiple lawsuits
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.