Marcellus Shale: Safe Technology, Needed Energy, Good Jobs
Wednesday, January 20, 2010The Washington Examiner today takes note of the kneejerk reaction against development of the Marcellus Shale’s natural gas resources, made possible through hydrofracturing technology. From “Another enviro scare aimed at oil, gas“:
[Studies] by multiple reputable organizations, including the EPA in 2004, concluded that hydraulic fracturing poses no danger to drinking water after being used more than 1.1 million times in the U.S.
Even so, in a House energy and commerce subcommittee hearing Wednesday morning, Chairman Edward Markey, D-Mass., is expected to focus attention on hydraulic fracturing and the proposed acquisition by Exxon Mobil Corp. of natural gas industry leader XTO Energy Inc. With ExxonMobil’s financial resources behind it, XTO is expected to drill many more wells using hydraulic fracturing.
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, said last week that he sees no reason not to use hydraulic fracturing, but environmental zealots hope to persuade Congress to kill ExxonMobil’s XTO acquisition and direct the EPA to take over regulation of the process from state governments. If Congress does either, it will be yet another triumph of environmental hysteria overruling science and common sense at the expense of energy users and consumers.
The hearing starts at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, and it is being webcast here.





