Pa. legislators push for stricter fracking regulations
Friday, May 28, 2021
Pennsylvania democratic lawmakers introduced a group of bills intended to tighten up shale gas industry regulations within the state, according to Farm and Dairy.
The legislation is a response to last summer’s grand jury report on the industry, which found the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection failed to protect residents from the health impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
During a press conference May 25, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that the grand jury report found a gap between the public’s constitutional rights to clean air and water and the reality of the law.
Learn more: Farm and Dairy > Pa. lawmakers want stricter regulations on fracking
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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.