The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) revised proposed rule covering hydraulic fracturing is raising concerns among industry representatives. The rule would apply to hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” on federal and Indian lands.
Fracking is the process of injecting rock formations with pressurized liquid to release petroleum or natural gas for extraction. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is studying fracking to understand potential impacts on drinking water and groundwater. One of the BLM proposal’s key issues centers on identifying chemicals used in the fracking process. There’s a chance industry officials might contend a few the chemical compositions constitute a trade secret and should not be disclosed, according to BLM spokeswoman Bev Winston of the agency’s Washington, D.C., office. Times-Independent
