Jeff Bingaman: “The proposed amendment concerns hydraulic fracturing. That is a valuable tool in reducing our dependence on foreign…”

“The proposed amendment concerns hydraulic fracturing. That is a valuable tool in reducing our dependence on foreign energy supplies. It is one that the oil and gas industry uses on a very regular basis. It is necessary if we are to develop the majority of our onshore natural gas wells. Hydraulically fractured wells produce about 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas annually. Through injecting fluids under high pressure, hydraulic fracturing creates pathways for gas to flow to the well. The amendment I have sent to the desk and have offered sets up a study process to determine whether high fracturing should be regulated by the Federal Government under the Safe Drinking Water Act. States already have the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing. They do that through measures such as requiring casing or lining of oil and gas wells where those wells cross through aquifers. The State regulatory programs have been effective to date. And although there have been over a million hydraulic fracturing jobs conducted in the last 5 years, there have been zero confirmed instances of hydraulic fracturing contaminating drinking water.”