Democrats Press for Hearings on Fracking and on Climate Change Science; GOPs Push for Job Creation

The dichotomy between the priorities of the Republicans and the Democrats which populate the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce is readily apparent on the respective partisan committee websites at this time.

In light of recent reports, the Democrats are calling for a committee hearing on the use of hydraulic fracturing in natural gas production and a hearing on Climate Change Science.  In the May 26 letter to Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), committee democratic leaders Henry Waxman, Edward Markey and Diana DeGuette note that “investigative reports we have released, peer-reviewed studies of shale gas production, news reports of spills and contamination, and regulatory action in three different agencies have raised numerous concerns about the practice of hydraulic fracturing,” and indicate that a hearing would give committee members a better understanding of the latest developments and information on the promise and potential threats to the environment and public health posed by this practice.  That letter requesting a hearing closely followed a May 23 letter from ranking member Henry Waxman to Fred Upton calling for a hearing on two new reports on climate change from the National Academy of Sciences and the Vatican, which find that climate change is occurring and that urgent action is needed to address its dangers.

Among the peer-reviewed studies published recently is a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University which indicated that hydraulic fracturing is contributing significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to our atmosphere.  In the words of Cornell professor of ecology Robert Howarth, “The take-home message of our study is that if you do an integration of 20 years following the development of the gas, shale gas is worse than conventional gas and is, in fact, worse than coal and worse than oil,” Howarth said. “We are not advocating for more coal or oil, but rather to move to a truly green, renewable future as quickly as possible. We need to look at the true environmental consequences of shale gas.”   Another significant study originated at Duke University. This study documented a much higher incidence of contamination of drinking water with methane in water wells within a mile of drilling sites.

A visit to the  Republican website reveals very different concerns.  In a press release which trumpets the unveiling of A Plan for America’s Job Creators, Chairman Fred Upton says, “Job creation is our driving force at the Energy and Commerce Committee, and all year long, we have been delivering the common-sense solutions that will help Americans get back to work. Already, the House has voted on important measures to rein in reckless regulations and prevent the Obama administration from driving gasoline and energy prices even higher. And this is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will continue pursuing our all-of-the-above energy solutions and working to stop the regulatory train wreck that threatens our economic recovery and is sending jobs overseas.”

The Waxman letter requesting the Climate Science Hearing notes: “The United States and the rest of the world are currently making major investments in new energy infrastructure that will largely determine the trajectory of emissions for decades to come.  Getting the relevant incentives and policies in place as soon as possible will provide crucial guidance for these investment decisions. The risks associated with doing business as usual are a much greater concern than the risks associated with engaging in strong response efforts.  This is because many aspects of an “overly ambitious” policy response could be reversed if needed, through subsequent policy change; whereas adverse changes in the climate system are much more difficult (in­deed, on the timescale of our lifetimes, may be impossible) to “undo.” [2]”

Cornell Professor Tony Ingraffea, who coauthored the study on methane emissions from gas industry, commented “In my opinion, corporate business plans superseded national energy strategy.”
Ingraffea believes more research is needed.