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2/5/14, "Former Obama official: Fracking has never been an environmental problem," FuelFix.com, Ryan Holeywell
"Salazar also said he believes the Keystone XL Pipeline should be built.
“At the end of the day, we are going to be consuming that oil,”
Salazar said. “So is it better for us to get the oil from our good
neighbor from the north, or to be bringing it from some place in the
Middle East?”" (end of article)
Article beginning: "Former U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar said Wednesday morning
that he believes hydraulic fracturing is safe, and the energy industry
should work to convince the public that it doesn’t pose a safety threat.
Salazar spoke in Houston at the North American Prospect Expo, a
three-day conference where landowners from around the globe look to make
deals with oil, gas and pipeline companies.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method of oil and gas
production that flushes large volumes of high-pressure water, sand and
chemicals deep underground. It has generated enormous controversy in
communities across the country on concerns that it might pollute
groundwater and cause other environmental problems.
“From my opinion and from what I’ve seen … I believe hydraulic fracking is, in fact, safe,” Salazar said.
Salazar said the oil and gas industry must work to educate the public of the technology and “make sure people are not scared.”
“We know that, from everything we’ve seen, there’s not a single case
where hydraulic fracking has created an environmental problem for
anyone,” Salazar said. “We need to make sure that story is told.”
Salazar says he came to his conclusion after speaking wither others
in the federal government, including scientists from the U.S. Geological
Survey and Steven Chu, the Nobel Prize-winning former U.S. Energy
Secretary who also says fracking is safe.
The Environmental Protection Agency is in the midst of an ongoing
study of fracking’s impact on water resources. A 2011 EPA study
suggested fracking contributed to water contamination in Wyoming, but
the study wasn’t finalized.
Environmental groups, unsurprisingly, don’t agree with Salazar’s
characterization of the practice. Groups like the Natural Resources
Defense Council say fracking is a likely suspect behind polluted
drinking water in Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming and elsewhere.
Environmentalists also attribute air pollution and even some
earthquakes to the practice. Kate Sinding, a senior attorney with NRDC,
called Salazar “out of touch” with a growing body of research indicating
environmental harms of fracking.
“His comments are a disservice to the people around the country who
continue to report problems when fracking comes to town – from
contaminated drinking water, to devastated property values, air
pollution, noise pollution, heavy truck traffic, industrialized rural
areas, and even exploding homes,” she said in a statement.
Salazar represented Colorado in the senate for four years before
joining the cabinet in 2009. After leaving the Interior Department last
year, he joined the law firm WilmerHale, which advises companies in the energy sector.
The former cabinet member also hinted that the energy industry may be
to blame for some of the opposition to fracking, citing some companies’
reluctance to disclose the chemical makeup of the liquids they use in
the process. He said people are scared of the unknown and suggested more
disclosure could ease some of those concerns.
Salazar said fracking, in part, is the reason the country has enjoyed
a energy boom that has helped move it towards energy independence and
reduced the price of fuel.
“We’re creating a secure world for ourselves and for our children,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Ohio or Pennsylvania or
California or right here at this convention in Houston,” he said.
“Letting people know this kind of information … is very important for
us.”
Chris Faulkner, CEO of Breitling Energy Corp., a Dallas-based
exploration and production company, praised Salazar and said his
defense of the practice is especially significant, given his position in
an administration that typically hasn’t been considered an ally of the
oil and gas industry.
He also expects Salazar’s comments to prompt more discussion about
the merits of fracking. “We have to address the issue head on,” Faulkner
said.
Salazar also said he believes the Keystone XL Pipeline should be built.
“At the end of the day, we are going to be consuming that oil,”
Salazar said. “So is it better for us to get the oil from our good
neighbor from the north, or to be bringing it from some place in the
Middle East?”" via Climate Depot
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