The BLM Makes the Case for Banning Waste Pits, but Doesn't Ban Them

Amy,

In the context of other environmental problems that we face, how would you rank fracking and the associated problem of waste pits? I mean compare it to coal mining, coal burning, tar sands mining and processing, fertilizer and pesticide use, the creation of dead zones from eutriphication, immense problems associated with livestock, deforestation, soil erosion, population growth, human sewage problems, global warming,  overfishing, landfills, fresh water depletion in arid areas, etc. Where do you rank fracking and the associated problem of waste pits in comparison to these problems? How many people and animals have actually died or been made sick by fracking and waste pits? 

I'd have to say that fracking would come in way after all of those other problems in terms of actual impact on people and animals.  And shale gas actually is a major improvement from an environmental perspective when compared to coal which is what we will use if we don't frack for shale gas. As an environmentalist, why are you spending so much time and effort on a problem that pales in comaprison to other more pressing problems?

You should rank the activities though. Should we spend our time equally fighting cancer and fighting hangnails?

I'd like to see proportional effort to the seriousness of the problem. The way NRDC and other environmental groups are treating fracking, it makes it sound as bad or worse than many of the problems I just mentioned when in fact the rise of shale gas has in fact been a net improvement for the environment because it does displace coal. I'd guess that many people think fracking is a greater threat than global warming or any of the other issues I raised above. That is because they are being bombarded with polemics from the NRDC and others and are not being given the straight story including the positive aspects of shale gas.

I do not think that companies should get a free pass when they cut corners or pollute where they shouldn't. To the contrary  I agree that companies should be required to do it right. Many companies are already doing it right.  All are being judged by the worst incidents or the worst actors amongst them. I suppose that is to be expected.

I'd like to see NRDC and other organiztions be straight on the positive impacts of shale gas for the environment as well. Not only is shale gas enabling us to reduce GHG emissions but it is also enabling major reductions in the emissions of particulate matter (a known killer), SO2 (which causes acid rain), mercury (which really does pollute water) and other air pollution. Coal mining pollutes streams and rivers way more than all fracking combined. I would just like to hear someone from the NRDC or the Sierra club acknowledge these facts and to say "Done right shale gas is a very positive development from an environmental perspective." It is not the ultimate goal but a major step in the right direction. 

If the US and the rest of the world were to switch from coal to shale gas it would be the best possible thing that could happen over the next 10 years from an environmental perspective. But with the way that NRDC, Sierra Club, Josh Fox, ProPublica and others are demonizing it it is much less  likely to happen. Countries will go on burning coal because the threats from shale gas and fracking have not been put in perspective or "ranked."

Lacking deeper knowledge on Fracking waste, I'm not sure how much my contribution is worth, but here it is:-

1) I'd like to know just what waste products constitute these waste pits

2) Are these waste products harmful to the environment, or to people and wildlife?

3) Will these waste products self resolve given some time, or will they remain harmful for indefinite or very long  periods of time?

I'd like basic fundamental information so as to be able to make up my own mind on fracking waste, as with other things.

Paul,

This post is an excellent example of scare tactics 101. First use these words: carcinogen, radioactive and toxic as much as possible. Next, use presence/absence instead of concentrations. 

Note that what is not mentioned are the concentrations of carcinogens, the concentrations of radioactive materials and the concentrations of heavy metals. A common approach used by those who want to fan the flames of fear is to use this presence/absence approach rather than discussion actual concentrations.  Ask for concentrations and how these concentrations compare to what is thought to be a dangerous concentration.   Using this approach, something might have 1 part per trillion of a radioactive or carcinogenic substance where the danger level is 10 parts per million. But you can still say with a straight face that the substance has carcinogens in it. That is technically true but they are not present at concentrations that are problematic.

Go look at the safe drinking water standards and you will see that it is OK to drink water with cyanide, arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury and many other scary sounding things as long as it is below a certain concentration. In fact we are probably all drinking water that has tiny trace amounts of many things that could be deadly in larger concentrations. Spring water from the most pristine, beautiful spring on earth could have any of these and more.  

http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/index.cfm#Disinfectants

Almost everything on Earth is radioactive. Babies are radioactive. Flowers are radioactive. At tiny, tiny concentrations that are not harmful but they are radioactive. So again, people can say that about anything that they want to scare you about.

Always ask for concentrations. Chalk it up to scare tactics if they use presence/absence.

The main problem with this waste is the presence of salt (CaCl or NaCl). Formation fluids are extremely salty - commonly 6-8 times saltier than sea water so the fluid that flows back after a frack job is commonly very salty. That is why these fluids should never be allowed to seep into groundwater or surface streams. Salt does not scare people quite the way that carcinogens and radioactivity do though. The chemicals from the fracking, the radioactivity, the heavy metals are minor issues by comparison.