1. Proposed Oil and Gas Regulations a Good Start but a Comprehensive Review is Needed
Environmental community concerned because last year’s review was so limited in scope
Last comprehensive review was 2007, and since then,
fracking technology has changed dramatically. Technology moved faster than scientific research, in past 10 years hundreds of studies showing damage caused by this new form of fracking to water and air and health. Two terrific sources on your handout – the SC comments on the proposed regs, written last Dec, and the NY Health Compendium.

2. High Volume Horizontal Fracking Regulations need: monitoring, and stricter standards for casing, cement, etc.
Industry claims it’s failproof, but recent studies show that five percent of wells leak immediately and 50 percent leak after 15 years. Gas and other chemicals can migrate into drinking water supplies.
PA DEQ admitted that fracking contaminated at least 260 drinking wells since You may have heard about the EPA study that concluded that “fracking no widespread, systematic impacts on drinking water,” but EPA’s own Science Advisory Board criticized the conclusion. The study documents contamination of drinking water, then the headline claims that it’s safe. The EPA will probably revise the headline in the final report. As examples of contamination mount, states revise their regs. VA must
As these risks emerge, states are tightening their regs, and VA should as well. Industry needs to accept strict rules if they want to gain the public trust.
Limited time, will focus on just one main issue of new form of fracking tech-
Volume of water and wastewater. With old form of fracking, in VA needed only 300,000 gallons of water to drill. For the new form, you need an avg of 4 million gallons to drill in the Marcellus Shale, and it can go up to 12 m/well, About 20% comes back up, plus “produced water” from bowels of earth
Picked up additional toxic ingredients like arsenic, lithium, radioactive materials, and BRINE, like seawater.

3. Millions of Gallons of Wastewater
A lot of wastewater, gotta get rid of it somewhere. The operator got his gas, he doesn’t want to deal with wastewater, disposal is expensive. Operators in other states have dumped wastewater into waterways to avoid having to pay for disposal. Will be a huge new problem in VA, regs haven’t been tight enough for any of the wastewater options. A lot of VA wastewater has been injected into underground wells, but as we see in OK and are learning from the USGS, and are seeing in OK, injection raises the probability of earthquakes. With our nuclear reactors at Lake Anna, that is a risk VA does not need. A lot of disposal goes to open pits.

4. Open “Temporary” Wastewater Pits Regulations should: ban open pits and underground injection; use watertight tanks
“temporary”
There’s an immediate problem with air pollutants – VOCs, nitrogen oxides and carcinogens. Liner. Potential disasters from leaks or overflow into surface and groundwater, and there are no regulations about siting. They can be near a waterway or in a floodplain. NC hog waste pits
Reg update does provide for a fence, which is a start

5. Air Pollution at every Stage
Nitrous oxides from trucks, pumps, generators and drill rigs are a precursor to smog
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) like benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene are released during drilling, fracking and transmission, as well as the inevitable spills.
Regulations should include:
VOC emission control equipment
Setbacks from occupied buildings and sensitive areas
Improved air quality monitoring throughout the process
Leakage of methane, a very potent GHG, continues after well has been “sealed.”
Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program
long-term commitments to monitoring and fixing methane leaks
Check out the Compendium of Health Risks on the handout .
Not just evaporation from wastewater pits, but through the whole process
Smog in rural communities in Wyoming with fracking is worse than in downtown LA

6. Long- and Short-Term Health Impacts
Benzene and toluene have caused dizziness, headaches, nosebleeds, rashes and hairloss
Nitrogen oxides and particulate matter exacerbates asthma and COPD
Formaldehyde and arsenic can lead to nausea, diarrhea and liver damage
TX, a family’s suffering was so severe that a jury – in TX – awarded them $2.9 million in damages

7. Surety Bonds?
In addition to air and water pollution and health risks, counties have to deal with road degradation. Want surety bonds so operators will pay for repairs, not taxpayers. Bonds currently far too low - $10,000/well, $25,000 for up to15 wells. That’s my question for Mike – what is $value of bonds, and where are they addressed?

8. Surety Bonds?
Unfortunately accidents do happen, again, counties want operators to pay for them, not taxpayers
Tube carrying fracking fluid broke, spilled fluid on hot equipment, huge fire

9. Oil and Gas Industry Resisting Regulation
Cement bond logs ensure integrity of wellbores
2016 General Assembly bills to exempt industry from Freedom of Information Act disclosure requests, to be reintroduced 2017
Rumors of industry request to delay implementation of draft regs til July 1, 2017
Expect attempts to override County authority to limit or ban fracking
IN Conclusion, to ensure that fracking is conducted safely in VA, we urge DMME to hold another interagency, comprehensive review of regulations that will address the threats and risks that are coming to light and develop regulations to protect us.

10. Thank You

11. As of March, there is no modern fracking in VA, and no permits on file
Leases in western VA. Federal decision on GW: whole forest off limits, except for 10,000 acres already sold, 170,000 privately held and available

12. Most of you have probably been following news of fracking ?
You wonder, why would people lease?
Anyone seen Promised Land?
HALF TRUTH – fracking in VA for decades, no pb