PA Dept. of Environmental Protection issues list of fracking chemicals; is Bergton, VA next?
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. – This just in from WENY.com:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has released a list of more than 80 chemicals used in drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region.
WENY obtained the list and noted that some of the chemicals have been shown to harm human health.
View WENY video.
The chemicals used in hydrofracking in Pennsylvania include:
- Chemicals in the Benzyne family (Benzenes have been shown to increase the risk of leukemia with long-term exposure);
- Xylene (which has been shown to cause damage to embryonic development);
- Napthalene (long-terms exposure has led to respiratory disease);
- Propylene (has been shown to harm male reproduction);
- Monoethanolamine and related amines (which have been shown to adversely affect liver and kidney function);
- Formaldehyde (known carcinogen); and
- Chemicals in the Nitrilotriacetic acid family (known carcinogens).
“The quantities of these chemicals used in any particular drilling operation is unknown and not currently regulated; but we do know that the drilling process involves millions of gallons of water and the addition of these and other chemicals in significant quantities in sufficient proportion to that volume of water to do things like reduce drill friction, inhibit corrosion, and act as solvents.
It is also known that the chemicals involved in fracking can migrate to drinking water supplies and contaminate ground water and surface water.”
A more detailed information about the compounds listed above and other chemicals is available from the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
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Another great source of information on hydrofracking is the Water Portal on Source Watch – that has all of the latest news on this newly-applied method of natural gas extraction which is causing concern across the U.S. and the world. It includes a summary of pending legislation.
Closer to home – here in the Shenandoah Valley, we’re just now experiencing our first encounter with hydrofracking, as Carrizo Oil has requested a permit to hydrofrack for natural gas in the beautiful, small town of Bergton, Virginia in Rockingham County. The push is on to get hydrofracking regulations in place in Virginia before energy companies cause any damage here. Hopefully, we’ll listen and learn from our neighbors.
[The picture (above) of the rural country road was taken near Bergton, VA, the proposed site of the first hydrofracking operation in Virginia.]
