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Thanks to the efforts of 25 environmental group’s requests for further study of the use of diesel in fracking, a Democratic Congressional investigation conducted in 2010 and finalized in 2011, revealed the large use of diesel fuel in the hydraulic fracking industry. Thanks to the work of Waxman, Markey and DeGette, we now  in know  diesel fuel is indeed used, and those companies which used diesel did not seek permits and did not have permits issued by any state or federal regulator as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Due to the Energy Policy loophole law of 2005, hydraulic fracturing was exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act except if diesel was used. Diesel fuel contains toxic benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene. Benzene is a known human carcinogen and chronic exposure to toluene, ethyl benzene and other xylene are known to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Of the 14 letters the congressman sent, 12 companies responded,Halliburton needed to be subpoenated. Of the 32 million gallons of diesel fuel and fluid containing diesel used for fracking, Halliburton came in second with using 7.2 million gallons, BJ services was the highest using 11.5 million gallons. None of the hydraulic fracturing companies tracked the nearness of the wells they fracture to the underground sources of drinking water. We at Capitol Voice support and endorse the FRAC Act and all other investigations necessary to create a more transparent natural gas and shale gas drilling industry in which all our states have the same environmental protection, and all citizens have a healthy, stable water supply.

Committeee on Energy and Commerce.Waxman,Markey,Degette. Investigation Finds Continued Use of Diesel in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids

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The Film Gasland exposes the shocking truth behind the natural gas industries use of toxic chemicals and their effects upon the residents. Film maker Josh Fox describes the harmful effects of natural gas fracturing which is required to extract natural gas. Fracturing requires hundreds of chemicals to be shot through the earth at high pressure to ultimately extract natural gas.Of the hundreds of chemicals, at least 65 of these chemicals are known to be hazardous to one's health.  The chemicals used in the process are unknown due to a 2005 energy bill pushed through by VP Dick Cheney who had been CEO of Haliburton before becoming the VP.Haliburton has been reported on using 7.2 million gallons of benzene.The energy bill, (the Haliburton loophole), prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating the hydraulic fracturing process, exempting it from the Clean Water Act. As a result of this lack of oversight, combined with the cuts in funding of the EPA, gas companies have been  irresponsible in their actions to the residents of these energy rich areas. Josh Fox takes us on a journey throughout many states where natural gas drilling has been occurring for years, Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma. Upon interviewing the residents of each state, he finds similar themes running through the area, pollution of the environment, poor health of residents, the feeling of hopelessness that their homes and ways of life are permanently effected and damaged.To read a recent study on the scientific link between fracking and contamination of local resident's drinking water see, Scientific Study Links Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking,which explains the Duke University Research Report for Policy Recommendations for Hyraulic Fracturing and Shale Gas Extraction.We at Capitol Voice support the legislation of Representative Maurice Hinchey of New York and Senator Robert Casey of Pennsylvania that would require the gas industry to disclose the identities of chemicals used in the fracking process,the FRAC ACT. See the House Bill H.R. 1084 and Senate 587 below.

Information based on article of Truthout, Scientific Study Links Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking by Abrahm Lustgarten,Propublica Report

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The first week in March saw the Republicans perform an energy dance around the issue of blocking EPA regulations to limit greenhouse gases. A measure to block EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases was introduced in the House and the Senate on the same day they stated they will be willing to eliminate these riders if the government can come to an agreement on the budget. However their agreement on the long term budget will ultimately cut EPA funding. Now comes the issues of rising oil prices, and the desire to open up more land to drilling. Energy Secretary Steven Chau recently stated that with the recent oil spikes there had been concern over whether we should open up our strategic oil reserves. The Energy Secretary stated, "this is not necessary as there is no shortage of an excess supply in the world". He stated we should concentrate on developing fuel efficent vehicles along wiith more electric vehicles.

 The Republicans once again are seeking to open up ANWAR, the 19 million acres of protected nature preserve in Alaska. Republican Fred Upton of the House Energy and Commerce Committee had written a letter to Obama in December stating,"I urge you to put our nation’s needs ahead of politics, and implore you not to make it impossible to ever explore for natural resources in ANWR.” We at Capitol Voice take the position of our President, who believes there are many energy renewable technologies to use to cut our dependency on foreign oil.

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Many European countries have a collective goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 --- and Desertec – the proposal to use concentrated solar power (CSP) from the Sahara – could supply up to 25% of Europe’s electricity needs, carbon free.

In 2009, 12 major European corporations, through a private sector initiative, agreed to support the world’s largest solar project.  It has been said:  “The amount of solar energy falling upon the earth’s desert regions during six hours of a typical day equals the total amount of energy from all sources consumed by the entire population of the globe in a year’s time.”(*)

The proposed CSP project will spread from Saudi Arabia to Morocco.  A completed project, some 30-years out, could deliver approximately 100 GWs of electricity.  Desertec promoters are not exclusive in their claims and still advocate use of other forms of renewable energy, for example, wind power from western Morocco.  The project could create 1 to 2 million jobs.

However, Desertec is not without its critics.  The naysayers reference problems with government relations between North African countries, sandstorms in the Sahara,, the cost of transporting the energy beneath the Mediterranean, and support by those who favor decentralized projects.  The cost for the Desertec project is projected at 400 billion euros.

The Desertec initiative will start slowly, building CSP plants, with their vast array of solar collectors, near the shores and these plants will be able to produce desalinated water for agricultural use.  The first of these farms could be productive by 2020.

(*)  source:  Renewable Energy World

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