Re: “Leading the energy future,” Nov. 10 guest commentary by Bob Beauprez.
Like former Congressman Bob Beauprez, I believe Colorado can be at the cutting edge of the economic recovery. Like him, I support development of natural gas in Colorado and throughout the West.
However, his commentary is full of inaccuracies and misrepresentations about legislation I have introduced to ensure drilling for natural gas is done in a way that protects public health.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a natural gas drilling technique where a combination of sand, water and chemicals is injected into the earth with enough pressure to fracture shale rock formations and release natural gas. Anecdotal evidence has strongly linked this technique to incidents of water contamination.
But in 2005, fracking was exempted from federal laws that require companies to disclose the chemical components of the fluid injected into groundwater. Therefore, since the chemical compositions of these fluids are not known, we cannot know definitively how serious the risks are to drinking water.
As fracking has become more prevalent, reported incidents of health problems have increased. Because of these reports, the Environmental Protection Agency has begun a two-year study of the safety of these fluids. I have introduced simple legislation that would require energy companies to disclose the components of fracking fluid, just as every other industry does. Confident of the safety of their process, many oil and gas companies are already voluntarily disclosing their chemicals, and more have vocally supported my legislation.
Beauprez claims my bill would impose a “bevy of new, job-killing federal regulations on energy companies,” and its passage would result in a “moratorium” on fracking. Nothing could be further from the truth.
My legislation simply requires oil and gas companies disclose the chemicals they use in their fracking fluids, even going far enough to protect companies from having to disclose proprietary information.
I’m pleased my former colleague recognizes Colorado can play a valuable role in the development and production of future energy sources, but I hope next time he will stop to check his facts before flinging claims of moratoriums and job losses.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette serves Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. and is vice chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
