Close this Advertisement

Clean Air Council Says Pennsylvania DEP Failed to Regulate Fracking Pollution, EPA Should Step In

  • Dec 29, 2011

The nonprofit Clean Air Council (CAC) recently asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to intervene as a result of the failure of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (PA DEP) to properly regulate fracking and gas processing pollution that contributes to climate change.

Clean Air Council is a non-profit environmental organization headquartered in Philadelphia.

In August 2010, Pennsylvania incorporated by reference new EPA rules addressing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from stationary sources (such as fracking operations). The EPA's so-called 'tailoring rule' addresses emissions of a group of six GHGs, including methane, which contributes significantly more to climate change than carbon dioxide and is a major component of fracking pollution.

The Clean Air Council complaint to the EPA cites specific instances in which PA DEP has failed to conduct required reviews of fracking operations and related pollution.

"Pennsylvania is simply dropping the ball on a significant source of pollution in the state. Federal and state laws are very clear about requiring monitoring and any necessary remedial action at the site of major polluters," said Clean Air Council Executive Director Joseph Otis Minott, Esq. "Frackers should not get a free pass in this state, particularly when their methane emissions are among the biggest contributors to climate change. Our view is very simple: If Pennsylvania DEP is going to abandon its duties here, the US EPA should step in to protect the public and environment."

According to a letter from the CAC to the EPA:  "CO2and CH4 (methane) are the most prevalent GHGs emitted from oil and gas operations and the industry is the largest human-made source of CH4 emissions globally."

Comments

Tue, Jan 10, 2012

This country is already in a depression/recession. I live in a county in Pennsylvania where we are required to have emmission inspections done which is really stupid. Most of the emmissions in this area come from the traffic on the turnpike or interstates. We need to find clean energy to use in our home and cars that does not harm our air or water. I am sure most CEO's of oil companies are not living in the drilling area and could care less what they pollute.

Fri, Jan 6, 2012

Then from your comment , you believe that if a "company knows that they are causing a water pollution problem...then they should be held responsible." Then when... after the damage is done...and to who would they be held accountable, to themselves or state authorities? The only administration that not only has enough authority and power to hold these large mega companies accountable and to actually enforce laws with heavy penalties, are federal agencies like the EPA. Too many times, large corporations with their organizations, lobbyists, money and lawyers hold up the process if not grind it to a complete and permanent halt. Remember, the main company we are are talking about here is Halliburton. Halliburton hold the patents on the chemical formulas that are used in the fracking process. If Halliburton can hold such information with an iron fist as to even what chemicals they use, what makes you believe that they would be so forthcoming as to "hold themselves responsible" for anything. I too want this country to be energy independent and to not be held hostage by entities foreign or domestic, but we live in a country and in a world that all too often decisions are made not by moral men... but by the almighty dollar.

Wed, Jan 4, 2012

I'm sorry that some or actually a lot of your articles are written by people who are non-informed about all the facts. Instead they just use some of the facts which serve their purpose of slowing or stopping oil exploration in this continent while we keep importing half of our oil from other countries. Do these people go to other countries and protest the extreme pollution the factories, mining industry, etc., do under the direct supervision of their government. The oil companies DO NOT want to hurt our water supplies or overpollute our air just so they can make a profit. They have to drink water and breathe air just like the rest of us. Remember that most oil companies have investors, both large and small, and if you want to stop them from working you are increasing the chance of a depression in this country. We have to let each state take care of any water/land/air pollution caused by any type of business, they should be responsible and not the EPA. If a company knows they are causing a water pollution problem with fracing and they do nothing about it they, both the company and the individuals responsible, should held accountable.

Add your Comment

Your Name:(optional)
Your Email:(optional)
Your Location:(optional)
Comment:
Please type the letters/numbers you see above