What Texas’ Fracking Disclosure Law Does and Doesn’t Do

What Texas’ Fracking Disclosure Law Does and Doesn’t Do by Terrence Henry, August 7, 2012, State Impact Texas NPR
Then there are the chemicals, as much as 55,000 pounds of them:…. If other wells in the Barnett Shale have required similar amounts, the chemical injection across the region may have approached 1 billion pounds. … The paper finds that most of the chemicals were disclosed, but some were not, having been deemed “trade secrets.” And some of the chemicals included in the mix were toxic, “with potentially fatal consequences for inhaling or swallowing it or through skin contact” and ecologically dangerous Loftis writes. … The Morning News report finds some serious loopholes in Texas’ fracking disclosure laws. “Incidental chemicals not used for a specific purpose need not be reported,” Loftis writes. “Actual amounts used aren’t required. Trade secrets can still be protected.” And the disclosure laws only apply to new wells permitted after February 1 of this year. But before that, Loftis notes, there were already 18,000 wells for fracking drilled in the state. Under the law, there will be no disclosure disclosure of those fracking operations.

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