Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
january 2016
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environment
Oklahoma calls for a reduction in wastewater injection
January 14, 2016
Oklahoma experienced a 50 percent increase in earthquakes magnitude-3 or greater last year—up from 585 in 2014 to 881 in 2015. Scientists and state officials now agree that many of these earthquakes are caused by the disposal of wastewater from oil and gas operations into deep sedimentary structures.
Consequently, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has directed more that 27 disposal wells in the Fairview area of western Oklahoma to cease or reduce wastewater injection operations. Fairview has been shaken by magnitude-4.3 and magnitude-4.8 quakes, the strongest the state has seen in years. This reduction is a part of a larger approach by the OCC to decrease wastewater disposal in the entire northwestern Oklahoma region.
Sources: E&E News, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Updated 2/8/2016
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Safety Act seeks to prevent pollution, increase worker safety
January 7, 2016
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) has introduced a bill that would direct the Department of the Interior (DOI) to create environmentally responsible regulations for reopening abandoned mines. The bill, the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Safety Act (H.R. 4323), aims to ensure worker safety and reduce uncontrolled wastewater releases.
This bill comes after a major spill at the Gold King Mine in Colorado, in which 3 million gallons of wastewater was accidentally released into the Animas River this August; Rep. Grijalva has heavily criticized EPA efforts to clean up the spill. The proposed bill hopes to implement recommendations from a Bureau of Reclamation report that evaluated the Colorado spill.
Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Jody Hice (R-GA) have introduced two other bills, H.R. 3843 and H.R. 3844, respectively, to emphasize a three-pronged approach to addressing abandoned mine cleanup. The three bills now head to the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources for consideration. In the Senate, Tom Udall (D-NM) has also introduced a bill to address cleanup efforts for abandoned mining sites.
Sources: E&E News, Congress.gov
Updated 2/8/2016
Science Advisory Board questions EPA hydraulic fracturing report
January 8, 2016
A study released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in June 2015 reports that hydraulic fracturing does not cause “widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States.” In response to the study, the agency’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), which provides independent scientific advice to the EPA, has submitted a critical draft letter expressing their concerns with the report’s findings.
Industry is defending the agency’s abovementioned statement, while the SAB and green groups are criticizing it, claiming that the statement is ambiguous and does not reflect the uncertainties and limitations within the report. The agency is holding public comment sessions via teleconference on February 1 and 2 to discuss the report. For more information, please visit the SAB website.
Sources: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPA Science Advisory Board Draft Report, E&E News
Carbonate growth rings on rocks tell about North America’s climate past
January 11, 2016
According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this January, growth rings that record pedogenic (soil) carbonate mineral accumulations on rocks may tell us about weather patterns from thousands of years ago. The new study, conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and funded in part by the National Science Foundation, found that soil deposits on rocks, or pedothems, can help determine ancient weather patterns.
During their research, the team used uranium isotopes to date the pedothems and analyzed their oxygen and carbon content to determine precipitation, temperature, and soil respiration at the time the soil deposits accumulated. The team then used the data to draw conclusions about North America’s past climate.
The study found that from 70,000 to 55,000 years ago, our predominantly west-to-east weather events were dominated by south-to-north atmospheric flows, causing wetter summers and drier winters. This new paleoclimatic data will help improve the accuracy of modern climate models by providing them with known ancient conditions for improved calibration.
Sources: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; University of California, Berkeley; National Science Foundation
Updated 2/8/2016
BLM proposes methane reform to 30-year-old oil and gas regulations
January 22, 2016
The Bureau of Land Management is proposing an update to the 30-year-old regulations for oil and gas operations on federal and Native American lands. The proposal aims to reduce the venting, flaring, and leaking of methane from the 100,000 onshore oil and gas wells on federal lands. The new regulation aims to reduce intentional and unintentional gas releases on federal lands by 50 percent and would create gradually reducing caps for methane leaks, phasing out reductions over a three year period. The reform includes requirements for replacing old infrastructure with best available technology, periodically testing for leaks, and submitting a “waste minimization plan” before a new lease can be approved.
Methane, the main constituent of natural gas, is a green house gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Between 2009 and 2014, 375 billion cubic feet of methane was vented, leaked, or flared by federal leases, enough to power 5.1 million homes for a year.
Once the proposal is submitted to the Federal Register it will undergo a 60 day comment period, followed by a review and revise period, before BLM releases the final rule. BLM plans to hold public meetings in February and March. For more information, please visit https://www.doi.gov/pressrelease.
UPDATE: BLM published the proposed regulation to the Federal Register on February 8 and can be read here.
Sources: Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov), E&E News
Updated 2/10/2016