The Hill News

The seasons may change, but the continued attention that natural gas extraction via hydraulic fracturing, (more popularly known as fracking,) receives does not. This summer saw a lot of activity associated with fracking. An eminent committee was assembled by DOE Secretary Chu to weigh in on actions the industry and federal agencies should implement, New York providing guidelines of where fracking should and shouldn’t be done, New Jersey’s first attempt to permanently ban and then issue a one-year moratorium on fracking, Texas ing disclosure of fracking fluids, and NGOs continue to apply pressure to ensure that safeguards are put into place.

Perhaps most alarming for the natural gas industry is a growing group of landowners who are second guessing their participation in the process, either because they feel that they are not being sufficiently compensated or because they are concerned about potential environmental impacts.
The industry has demonstrated ! a commitment to address some of the key concerns raised by fracking, including fracking fluids’ potential impact on drinking water during injection and disposal.

As the New York Times recently noted, companies are affirming the practical benefits of addressing these concerns head on. Rebecca Thingelstad, an engineer from oil and gas company Anadarko, emphasized the financial benefits beyond building goodwill: ”If everyone's comfortable with it, you can get your permits through faster.”

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