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ALEC and ExxonMobil Push Loopholes in Fracking Chemical Disclosure Rules

ecopolitology.org -- One of the key controversies about fracking is the chemical makeup of the fluid that is pumped deep into the ground to break apart rock and release natural gas. Some companies have been reluctant to disclose what's in their fracking fluid. Scientists and environmental advocates argue that, without knowing its precise composition, they can't thoroughly investigate complaints of contamination.

Disclosure requirements vary considerably from state to state, as ProPublica recently charted. In many cases, the rules have been limited by a "trade secrets" provision under which companies can claim that a proprietary chemical doesn't have to be disclosed to regulators or the public.

One apparent proponent of the trade secrets caveat? The American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as A

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Submitted Apr 30, 2012 By: teafortwo

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drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,929 Points:750,035 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 10:01:58 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse LMOA! ecopolitology huh? Wow tea is really having to scrape the bottom of the barrel! This tripe is so full of misinformation and flat out lies its laughable! Too many to cover, but then again that is the deceptive trademark of the Eco-nazi regime.
DOS All-Star Author Illinois Posts:668 Points:929,995 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 12:18:04 AM Ignore DOS Report Abuse Funny the article title says that ExxonMobil pushed for the Loopholes in Disclosure Rules, but in the text of the article it says: "The spokesman said ExxonMobil supports 'full disclosure of the ingredients and additives in hydraulic fracturing fluids,' ... Last year, the company began voluntarily uploading chemical disclosures to FracFocus, a clearinghouse website run by the Groundwater Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission." So following the strategy used by the Robert the Bruce Sr. character in Bravehart, ExxonMoblil seems to be taking positions on both sides of the Fracking chemical disclosure issue. Or is Exxon suffering from a multiple personality disorder?
teafortwo Champion Author Washington Posts:22,076 Points:1,383,020 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 3:11:20 PM Ignore teafortwo Report Abuse FROM THE ARTICLE: One apparent proponent of the trade secrets caveat? The American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as ALEC, a nonprofit group that brings together politicians and corporations to draft and promote conservative, business-friendly legislation. ALEC has been in the spotlight recently because of its support of controversial laws like Florida's "Stand Your Ground" provision. This weekend, as part of a story on ALEC's political activity, The New York Times noted that the group recently adopted "model legislation" on fracking chemical disclosure, based on a bill passed in Texas last year. According to The Times, the model bill was "sponsored within ALEC" by ExxonMobil, which runs a major oil and gas operation through its subsidiary, XTO Energy. The advocacy group Common Cause, which provided the documents on ALEC's lobbying efforts to The Times, describes model legislation, in many cases identifying by name the company that proposed it to ALEC's task forces. ALEC has recently removed its list of model bills from its main website, and did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for XTO Energy confirmed that the company is a member of ALEC, but he did not provide details on the company's involvement with the disclosure bill. The spokesman said ExxonMobil supports "full disclosure of the ingredients and additives in hydraulic fracturing fluids," but added that when vendors request it, ExxonMobil has "respected the trade secret status of their products." Last year, the company began voluntarily uploading chemical disclosures to FracFocus, a clearinghouse website run by the Groundwater Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. In a recent blog post, ALEC claimed that legislators in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Ohio have introduced versions of its model bill, but many of those states vary in the level of disclosure required and how they handle the trade secrets provision. Laws in 11 states require at least partial disclosure, and the Bureau of Land Management recently drafted disclosure guidelines for drilling on federal land.
YumaFellow Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,275 Points:619,670 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 12:30:02 PM Ignore YumaFellow Report Abuse ALEC is Benedict Arnold revisited. It designs boiler-plate legislation for the right-wing and then gets politicians to introduce the bills in multiple states. Always looking for a free ride for corporations and big-government when it comes to issues of sexuality and personal ethics. So this is no surprise.
crep1291 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,576 Points:480,635 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 10:51:18 AM Ignore crep1291 Report Abuse Indeed, revealing their exact chemical composition would make it easier to pinpoint a leaky well.
jorobins538 Champion Author Chicago Posts:4,727 Points:637,345 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:15:59 AM Ignore jorobins538 Report Abuse you can count on big corporations to do everything they can to maximize their paychecks and screww the rest of us
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,984 Points:1,739,885 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:37:05 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse The real secret is how these chemicals once added to good water, can be removed and that once good water returned to the water bio- cycle instead of pressure dumped under ground to cause tremblors in the central backward states where they allow this 'sweeping under the rug'
GingoutMD Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,495 Points:713,305 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:23:51 AM Ignore GingoutMD Report Abuse How about we send a fracking team to drill in the back yard of the ALEC staff and start pumping in the "trade secret" chemicals. Do you think they would complain then???
grandpadon28110 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:4,706 Points:1,140,360 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:54:01 AM Ignore grandpadon28110 Report Abuse Looking to regulate!
gazprize Veteran Author Toronto Posts:483 Points:125,120 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:49:46 AM Ignore gazprize Report Abuse hmmmmm
ArboretumCop Champion Author Richmond Posts:9,355 Points:2,605,635 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:48:56 AM Ignore ArboretumCop Report Abuse ALEC is a pure Republican interest group that the new state govenors subscribed to 2 years ago. The result is chaos in states like WI, Va, and AZ as well as others.
dave27johnson Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,787 Points:406,700 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:38:20 AM Ignore dave27johnson Report Abuse ALEC abuses its tax-exempt status to be a corporate lobbyist. This is a misuse of trade secrets to avoid regulation and legal challenges.
Ltdc Champion Author Long Island Posts:7,205 Points:1,675,170 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:33:19 AM Ignore Ltdc Report Abuse Let's hope cancer rates don't spike years from now from this insidious cocktail.
johntxx Champion Author Texas Posts:2,766 Points:614,145 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:27:37 AM Ignore johntxx Report Abuse Couldn't get to the full aricle on this eco site--it was grayed out.
dorisntx Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:2,079 Points:643,605 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:22:22 AM Ignore dorisntx Report Abuse ok
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,098 Points:869,305 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:20:53 AM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse Consider the source. The bottom line is the eco-left opposes any and all fracking and will not be satisfied with any disclosure, regardless of the materials utilized.
bullet226 Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,716 Points:534,915 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:12:45 AM Ignore bullet226 Report Abuse Oh boy
OHMS Champion Author Orange County Posts:13,706 Points:1,689,930 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:06:49 AM Ignore OHMS Report Abuse The Texas law, which ALEC cites in the post as its template, codifies the trade secrets exemption, and who can challenge it.
cdrrod Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:4,144 Points:781,825 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:02:28 AM Ignore cdrrod Report Abuse If you're gonna pump, it's only fair to let others know what the side effects are!
EricBrazil Champion Author Miami Posts:2,127 Points:470,525 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:56:14 AM Ignore EricBrazil Report Abuse Not good!
dsaine Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,987 Points:630,545 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:45:39 AM Ignore dsaine Report Abuse More crap...
farmboyTN Champion Author Tennessee Posts:2,253 Points:446,930 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:42:12 AM Ignore farmboyTN Report Abuse OK