“Toughest” Fracking Fluid Disclosure Rule Put On The Shelf. Halliburton Says No.
The previously approved chemical disclosure rule by the N.C. Mining & Energy Commission’s Environmental Standards has been shelved commissioners learned Thursday and reported by The News & Observer. Chairman James Womack, a fracking proponent, told fellow commissioners they would not be voting on the rule Friday as previously planned.
It appears discussions outside the commission by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (now more of a gas and oil company advocate than government agency) and fracking pioneer Halliburton has led to the decision. Halliburton doesn’t want the data to be kept by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources under the guise of proprietary “trade secrets”.
The previously approved rule that was to be voted on Friday would have exempted certain chemicals from public disclosure (that means you) if companies could demonstrate these chemicals were a trade secret. However, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources were to keep the ingredients on file in order to properly treat accident victims.
So now the rules will have to be changed as noted by Womack so that Halliburton, other industry players, and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources can proceed in the rush to frack North Carolina. It is important to note that some of the chemicals used in the fracking cocktail are hazardous to life on earth at the very first detectable trace amounts. So the so-called solution Womack described that the chemicals used might could be disclosed, but not the precise amounts is just a ruse or smokescreen. In the meantime, enjoy those commercials about how wonderful natural gas exploration is on your TV screens as the health and well being of North Carolinians ends up what is really put on the shelf.
Original with News & Observer link (I'm the author)
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