PROTECTING ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

RTKnet: Water

NRDC Is Testing the Waters for Health Risks (NRDC)

The NRDC's annual survey of water quality and public notification at U.S. beaches found that aging and poorly designed sewage treatment systems and contaminated stormwater are polluting beachwater, which can cause skin rashes, pink eye, respiratory infections, hepatitis, and meningitis in beach goers. The NRDC is also pushing Congress to pass the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act, which would require states to use rapid water testing methods and fund research to identify sources of beachwater pollution.

(30 Jul 2010)

Chemicals in Rivers Linked to Sexual Changes in Fish (The Canadian Press)

University of Calgary professors have found that hormone-altering chemicals in rivers, such as synthetic estrogens and agricultural by-products, are changing the sexes of a small species of minnow. One of the researchers asserted "I think we need to look at this a little more carefully and ask, what is the message the fish are telling us. If the fish are showing bent genders and people are drinking the same water . . . we need to try to evaluate that risk.”

(30 Jul 2010)

Hydraulic Fracturing Fight Hijacks Spill Bill (Politico)

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) added language to the "spill bill" requiring natural gas drillers to disclose the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. Gas producers have said that disclosing the identities of chemicals that threaten the safety of drinking water is "akin to companies like Coca-Cola being forced to reveal their recipes." Sen. Reid rebutted, "we have more natural gas than any country in the world. Is there anything wrong with taking a look at how that’s extracted? I guess if you’re looking for an excuse to say no, there is."

(29 Jul 2010)

Proposed Oil Spill Bill Requires More Disclosure from Frackers (News Inferno)

A new bill, HR3534, which recently passed in the House Natural Resources Committee, would require drilling companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing on federal lands to disclose the chemicals they are using. While the legislation requires drillers to disclose "the chemical constituents of mixtures, Chemical Abstracts Service numbers, and material  safety data sheets," they are not required to publicly disclose "proprietary chemical formulas," falling short of what environmentalists want.

(20 Jul 2010)

Drilling Company Lists Hazardous Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing (Pro Publica)

Range Resources plans to disclose the hazardous chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania wells on their website. Earthjustice asserts that although this list will help specialists determine whether drilling is polluting drinking water, "It does not by any stretch of the imagination cover what most people would consider to be hazardous."

(15 Jul 2010)

TAKE ACTION - Tell Your Representatives To Support the FRAC Act (Food & Water Watch)

Companies that are threatening our drinking water with hydraulic fracturing can't be held accountable under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and they don't have to disclose the 596 chemicals that they are injecting into the ground. Ask your representative to close the loophole and require companies to disclose the chemicals they are using by passing the FRAC Act.

(15 Jul 2010)

EPA Holding A Public Meeting to Discuss The NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (Federal Register)

The EPA has proposed a rule requiring regulated facilities to report National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) data electronically. The EPA is holding a meeting for stakeholders to discuss electronic reporting alternatives for submission of NPDES data and provide feedback about the proposal. The meeting will be held on July 13 in Washington, D.C.

(09 Jul 2010)

Anger Surfaces at EPA Gas Shale Meeting (The Texas Tribune)

Fort Worth, Texas residents showed their anger and fear about the impact of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater at a public meeting convened by the EPA. While the oil and gas industry states that "fracking" occurs far below the water table, citizens are concerned about water pollution. After revealing that local tap water tested positive for lead, arsenic, and other chemicals, Dish, Texas mayor Tillman demanded that the EPA not "let politicians cloud [their] decision." Additional public meetings are scheduled throughout the summer.

(09 Jul 2010)

EPA is Asking for Commentary on Their "Fracking" Study (EPA)

The EPA is conducting a study to determine the impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water, public health, and the ecosystems surrounding “fracking” sites. In July and August, the EPA is hosting public meetings across the country seeking stakeholders' input. Meetings will be: 

  • July 8, Fortworth, TX
  • July 13, Denver, CO
  • July 22, Canonsburg, PA
  • August 12, Binghamton, NY
(23 Jun 2010)

Gulf Oil Full of Methane, Adding New Concerns (The Associated Press)

The crude oil gushing from the destroyed BP rig contains approximately 40 percent methane. Scientists have found that the water surrounding the spill contains methane concentrations up to 10,000 times higher than normal, with oxygen levels depleted by over 40%. The combination could lead to hypoxic "dead zones" that are uninhabitable by marine wildlife and plants. David Garrison, Program Director of the National Science Foundation, stated that "This has the potential to harm the ecosystem in ways that we don't know." 

(21 Jun 2010)