As GOP hits fracking disclosure, sponsor faults gas industry for opposing inclusion in energy bill

The author of legislation that would require natural-gas companies to disclose hydraulic-fracturing fluids says she feels betrayed by industry groups that have spoken out against the requirement's inclusion in the Senate Energy bill. "A lot of these companies want to say publicly 'We support disclosure.' But then they try to kill it behind the scenes," Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado told Mike Sorghan of Environment & Energy Daily. "This is something that is going to happen. I wish industry would work with us instead of talking out of both sides of their mouths."

"America's Natural Gas Alliance, which lobbies for some of the larger independent drilling companies, released a statement Tuesday opposing the disclosure provision, citing concerns that the program would be overseen by U.S. EPA, and saying fracturing should be regulated at the state level," Sorghan writes. DeGette was most angered by the opposition of the measure from Range Resources Corp., which has been out front among drillers on the disclosure issue. "We support disclosure, which is why we've implemented our voluntary disclosure initiative," Matt Pitzarella, spokesman for Range, a major player in Pennsylvania's shale boom, told Sorghan. "However, we believe that should be the decision and duty of the individual states, not the federal government."

"I'm shocked these companies are telling you that," DeGette told Sorghan. "These companies have been working with us from day one." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid included DeGette's measure in his energy bill after a last-minute plea Tuesday from Pennsylvania Democratic Sens. Bob Casey and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, where there is considerable concern about the effect on water of "fracking" in the Marcellus Shale. (Read more, subscription required)

Republicans ran with the gas lobby, shifting their criticism of Reid's bill to fracking disclosure from its offshore-drilling elements, Coral Davenport of Politico reports. "Reid dismissed the GOP criticism, saying the new language simply requires companies to disclose the mix of their chemical blends" to state regulators, Davenport writes. Reid said, "We have more natural gas than any country in the world. Is there anything wrong with taking a look at how that’s extracted? (Read more)