"Fracking" Oil & Gas Companies....

[Darian]

A new bill has been submitted to the California Legislature authorizing the Dept of Conservation (regulators) to permit "Fracking" for extraction of natural gas in California. Bill no. AB 591. The co-author is Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento.

I'm sure most of you have heard of the practice of injecting water under very high pressure into underground geological (principally shale) formations to break up the rock and free natural gas for extraction. The negative side affects on pollution in the form of mud and tainted water are massive as seen in eastern states where "fracking" is common. Natural gas occurs in rock/shale formations all over the southwest.

Aside from the impacts of the pollution, use of fresh water for this purpose would create yet another demand on already over-committed water supplies. This seems inappropriate in view of the recent history of water problems in this state. Of course, Off shore wells, if any, would use salt water but still would cause pollution.

This bill bears watching, carefully....