Leave ‘Hydrofracking’ to the States, Say Local Officials

On Behalf of | May 2, 2012 | Legislation, Truck Accidents |

“Unreasonable,” “unnecessary,” “hijack,” and “knee-jerk” are all words used by state lawmakers and other officials whose local economies largely rely on the oil and gas industry. They’re referring to federal oversight of so-called “hydrofracking,” oversight that poses a possible problem – or a solution, depending on your perspective.

Meanwhile, states like Texas continue to explore for oil and natural gas relatively unfettered, which has contributed to the rise of Eagle Ford Shale truck accidents.

As Kristen Wyatt reports for USA Today, those people who are concerned about the safety of hydraulic fracturing, and all of its consequences, like more truck traffic, are pushing the Obama administration for more oversight.

They’re worried about what fracking does to the environment in terms of groundwater contamination and ill effects on human health. And local governments are getting more concerned about the rise in truck traffic, as we wrote about last week, like the city council in Seguin.

As one state representative said, “We’re drilling in a lot of places with hydraulic fracturing where we weren’t before.”

Source: Congressional hearing in Denver tackles fracking