California Shrugged: No One Knows Whats Up With Frack WaterBy Heather Callaghan It is an unfortunate reality that good jobs are intertwined with what might be later construed as not only an environmental devastation but Americas next personal health devastation hydraulic fracking. It is also unfortunate that while Americans flock to so-called boom towns for those good jobs, the jobs themselves are tied into the ebb and flow of gas prices. As such, it is not surprising to hear rumors of mass layoffs in the boom towns and see the resulting economic effects. Perhaps the last thing we need is another incentive for Big Oil to hurt Americans and the water supply. Perhaps this little break was the cold splash of water that regulatory agencies and researchers needed to find out that such indiscriminate fracking was quite possibly the worst thing allowed unbridled in drought-stricken California. The study, carried out by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), recommended state agencies ban the reuse of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing or fracking for any use that could impact human health, the environment, wildlife, and vegetation until further testing can be done. According to the CCST assessment, the toxicity of half of the chemicals used in California fracking is not publicly available. More than half the chemicals have not been evaluated for basic tests that are needed for understanding hazards and risks associated with chemicals. In terms of water contamination, no California agency has conducted a systematical study of the possible impacts, the assessment said. In fact, across all of California, only one water contamination sampling study near a fracking site in Los Angeles County has been done. Results of contamination studies in other regions of the country have been mixed, the report said. But since we dont know whats going into the chemical mix, or how it might react with other elements over time, these types of studies might not even be testing for the right things. Since full chemical compositions are not known, how can tests produce accurate results until then or how could test researchers know what to look for? Great questions that no one is really answering. CCST is in favor of reusing frack waste water if it helps with conservation they just dont know whats in it or what the results will be. Doesnt that sound a bit short-sighted? Heres one thing the report found out: Treatment of produced water destined for reuse may not detect or remove chemicals associated with hydraulic fracturing and acid stimulation. Remember that time I wrote about big companies like Chevron selling leftover frack water to desperate farmers?Selling wastefor profit. Its nice to finally find out that none of it was treated before it was doused onto our food supply. Now that, coupled with human sewage treatment for fertilizer, is just plain absurd. A variety of hazardous substances are used in typical fracking fluids (examples here and here), although California substances are harder to track down. Even so, some California tests have found high levels of acetone and methylene chloride which can be toxic to humans. Additionally, they found oil which is supposed to be removed during treatment. So it really is valid to be concerned about this substance applied on agriculture. At least CCST understands that the practices are not being monitored not really at all. Including the three known ways of disposing of the waste: dumped into open pits to be reabsorbed into the ground, injected into below-ground wells, or reused in farming. They called for more attention but did not want to admit that there were any problems with groundwater contamination; even California ordered closing some of the waste pits due to contamination and EarthJustice filed a lawsuit in May to stop ground well waste injections. The lawsuit noted that of the few regulations to exist, they arent really enforced. New regulations for assessments and reporting from oil companies as a result of Senate Bill 4 dont seem to offer repercussions or a way to stop certain activity from potentially contaminating precious water supplies in California. And the kicker these new regulations were quickly and deliberately finalized before an important safety assessment came out to show the harm of fracking exposure to humans, environment and water supplies. An assessment that was delayed. Leaving the final regulations obviously deficient. The same thing happens when a damning report is about to come out about pesticides harming bee populations. According to the study, 2.6 billion gallons of fresh water are used each year for fracking in California. (Think Progress) Doesnt it seem like theres a better way to help the economy, provide energy and not hurt dwindling water supplies? California shrugs. Corporations get away with some of the worst abominations during crises economic or environmental. Agencies and scientists cooperate instead of set boundaries and innovate. History shows, that whenever the regulatory industries with their relationship to corporations ensure that their practices are safe whether its fracking remnants in the water tables or on vegetation, smart meter waves, pesticides or vaccines I just think the opposite is true. So what are we paying the regulatory agencies for then? Illustration, American Gasland, copyrighted by Marcellus Proteston Flickr, published under Creative Commonslicence Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work atNaturalBlaze.com and selfnewsPost.com. Like at Facebook. Recent posts by Heather Callaghan: I guess there wasnt any sense in studying fracking before it was okayd When they say they dont know, boy do they know.. The ignorance of the subject matter displayed and the quoting of sources that have known Marxist agenda is appalling. I know this is hard and requires thinking, but why would anyone spend a million dollars to hydraulically fracture a well to produce gas and not insure that it goes where it will do this most good? In short, there is a major incentive to not fracture into aquifers because the stimulation would be wasted. Also for the record, if a job is going the wrong place it is detected immediately and takes less than 30 seconds to stop the pumps. So everything you are worried about is a lie. Are these chemicals Prop 65 compliant? You how California makes such a big deal over that thing. the EPA is a joke as are all of the top down b.s. of the U.S. bought off CONgress. The amount of water used is even worse than thought: THE MATH 500,000 72 trillion gallons of water The website has a wealth of information in regard to fracking: http://www.dangersoffracking.com/ 