Fracking Disclosure Details Delayed In Texas

Fracking disclosure guidelines will be a bit delayed in Texas.
Of the seven states that require natural gas drillers to disclose what chemicals they use during hydraulic fracturing, Texas is the only state to do-so via law.
The Lone Star State became the first in the nation to pass a fracking disclosure law this spring, but the legislation was vague on details:

Many of Texas’ details still need to be sorted out, though. While the law sets broad dis­clo­sure para­me­ters, law­mak­ers are leav­ing its details up to the Texas Rail­road Com­mis­sion, which reg­u­lates the energy indus­try and pub­lic util­i­ties. “The Rail­road Com­mis­sion has to draft reg­u­la­tion,” explained Black­mon. “How the report­ing will take place, what the due date is.” The com­mis­sion has until July 1, 2012 to fin­ish its work, but Black­mon said the goal is to wrap things up by Jan­u­ary 1.

Our sister site, StateImpact Texas, reports the Railroad Commission is now postponing a decision on those new regulations. It’s unclear when the panel, which regulates energy issues, will issue its guidelines.
Pennsylvania will likely become the second state to pass a disclosure law in the near future. Both impact fees in front of the General Assembly include language mandating well-by-well chemical reports, which would be posted on a public website.
Energy companies are already required to report chemicals to the Department of Environmental Protection, but the agency doesn’t make the lists public.

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