A group of determined advocates who are opposed to a controversial oil exploration technique have been aggressively pushing state legislators to take immediate action in the face of what many say is a risk to safety and the health of residents within regions where oil drilling operations are conducted.
But new information reported by the Associated Press has some experts questioning the tactics of these activists as well as the information on which they are basing their cause.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a process used by oil and gas firms to access petroleum or shale in rock formations thousands of feet underground. Large quantities of water and chemicals are injected into the rock to gain access to the gas.
Opponents say the procedure is dangerous and can cause earthquakes, air pollution and can contaminate underground water supplies and is responsible for a surge in breast cancer reports as well.
In the Associated Press story, scientists and researchers took issue with some of the assertions made by opponents of hydraulic fracturing, stating that some of the claims are long on zeal and short on credible evidence.
“The debate in becoming emotional. And basically not using science,” Duke University researcher Avner Vengosh told the wire service. Vengosh, who has been criticized by praised and criticized by those on both sides of the fracking debate, is studying groundwater contamination.
Josh Fox, the Oscar nominated director of the film Gasland, has made the claim that breast cancer rates have increased in areas where fracking takes place, according to the Associated Press report.
But according to a medical professor of anthropology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Simon Craddock Lee, that claim is not accurate.
And a leading cancer research nonprofit, Susan B. Komen for the Cure, said it has not been able to detect a spike in cancer rates either.
According to the investigative publication ProPublica, fracking is done on nine out of 10 oil wells in the United States.
An anti-fracking group, Free Frack Culver City, is advocating that the state ban the oil extraction practice and some of its members have cited the potential for groundwater contamination and possible cancer and respiratory ailments as consequences of the controversial procedure.
Oil and gas company Plains Exploration and Petroleum (PXP) operates near Culver City in the Inglewood Oilfield in Baldwin Hills.
Culver City Councilman Jim Clarke said legislators have a duty to protect the environment as well as the welfare and health of their constituents. But it is also important that they use accurate scientific data when considering legislative action.
“It not only has to be good, sound science, but it also has to be relevant to what is going on in the Inglewood Oilfield,” Clarke pointed out.
Reports on cancer clusters in regions where shale is extracted might not be relevant to oil drilling in Baldwin Hills, the councilman added.
Kassie Siegel, the director of the Climate Law Institute Center for Biological Diversity, said no matter what region the oil extraction practice is employed, it is unregulated and therefore the risks are too great to speculate on without oversight.
She is not convinced that the Associated Press report was completely on point.
“(Fracking) uses chemical and toxins that can be damaging in a number of ways,” Siegel told the News. “In absence of state or federal oversight, it’s really misleading to frame (a discussion about fracking) in any other way.”
David Quast, the field director for Energy in Depth, says his organization has monitored what they believe are misleading claims associated with hydraulic fracturing. “There’s been a lot of fear-mongering by professional activists who want to stop oil drilling,” Quast asserted. “Hydraulic fracturing has been going on since the 1940s and there is not a single case of contamination or air pollution (directly associated with fracking).”
Energy in Depth is a research, education and public outreach campaign created by the Independent Petroleum Association of America designed to publicize the potential of “responsibly developing America’s onshore energy resource base” -which includes oil and natural gas from shale.
Another claim is fracking creates high levels of natural radioactivity in deep underground water in Pennsylvania. But the Pittsburg Water and Sewer Authority conducted extensive tests and did not find any problems in area rivers and state environmental authorities found non- detectable levels of radiation.
PXP, per a settlement agreement with Culver City, has conducted a study on fracking in the Inglewood Oilfield. “We expect to have the results of that study this fall,” Clarke said.
City Atty. Carol Schwab sent a letter to the oil company on July 24 asking them to provide information that PXP has amassed that pertains to fracking.
“The requested information is necessary for the City Council to use in adopting legislation relating to oil and production activities within the city’s jurisdiction. The requested information is relevant to determine the potential impact of such oil and production activities on the environment, public health and safety and land use,” the letter states.
“We request that in responding to the information request, PXP provides both a narrative response to each request and such documents as are necessary to completely and accurately respond to the request. We also request that within seven days of receipt of this letter, PXP provides the city with written acknowledgment that it will provide a complete and accurate response to the request within the 30 days.”
The last paragraph of the letter had an ominous tone.
“In the interest of working with PXP in obtaining the requested information, the city is sending this letter in lieu of an administrative subpoena authorized by Culver City Charter § 607(e) and California Government Code § 37104,” Schawb’s letter stated.
“Please be advised, however, that if the city does not receive the acknowledgment, or does not, in its sole opinion, receive a complete and accurate response, the city may issue an administrative subpoena requiring PXP to produce documents and appear and testify before the City Council.”
John Martini, PXP’s manager of environment, health and government affairs, said his company wants to work with the local government and the public to accurately comprehend the oil extraction technique.
“PXP received the letter from the city of Culver City and is working on a response. We are committed to working with the city and to elevate public understanding about the hydraulic fracturing process,” Martini told the News. “We anticipate having additional communications with the city this week.”
Martini agrees with the wire service report that opponents of fracking are using inaccurate data to push their cause, which is to limit or prohibit hydraulic fracturing.
“There is a significant amount of misinformation being deliberately circulated about the practice of hydraulic fracturing, which is unfortunate,” he asserted.
The one area where Siegel and Quast agree is the need for sound, accurate science for any discussion on fracking.
“That should be at the top of the list,” said Siegel.
“Policy makers really need to look at all of the facts before taking any action (on fracking),” Quast added.
Clarke said the new flow of information and scientific data, whether in favor or in opposition to fracking, has broadened the conversation on how governments might proceed on the oil extraction procedure if they choose to do so. “I’m glad that this whole debate is stimulating good discussions,” he said.
