Preliminary Rulemaking In California For Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

On December 18, the California Department of Conservation/Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources released a draft of regulations covering hydraulic fracturing. The Division says the draft regulations are a "discussion draft," meaning the version does not begin a formal rulemaking process, but rather, starts the discussion by key stakeholders, such as industry, environmental groups, regulators, and any interested members of the public. The discussions will help prepare for the more formal rulemaking process, which is expected to begin by February 2013. The Division will accept written comments until 45 days after the formal rulemaking begins.

The discussion draft regulations touch on topics such as:

• Pre-fracturing well-testing;
• Advance notification;
• Monitoring during and after drilling operations;
• Disclosure of fracturing fluid materials;
• Confidential business information; and
• Handling and Storage of hydraulic fracturing fluids;

The proposed regulations would require hydraulic fracturing operators to publicly disclose detailed information about their operations, including a complete list of chemicals, and their concentrations. If the material is a trade secret, then operators must inform the public of its chemical family or use a similar method to describe it.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.
Caltha Environmental Review Website

EPA and Consumer Product Safety Commission Collaboration On Nanomaterial Risk Research

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced their collaboration in a research effort to assess any potential impacts of nanomaterials on human health and the environment. Nanomaterials appear in many household products ranging from clothing to building materials.

EPA's collaborative research with CSPC is part of a larger effort that focuses on:

• Identifying, characterizing and quantifying the origins of nanomaterials
• Studying biological processes affected by nanomaterials that could influence risk
• Determining how nanomaterials interact with complex systems in the human body and the environment
• Involving industry to develop sustainable manufacturing processes
• Sharing knowledge through innovative online applications that allow for rapid feedback and accelerated research progress

CPSC, in working with other federal agencies, ensures that common public health concerns are met and will use research findings to inform:

• Protocol development to assess the potential release of nanomaterials from consumer products
• Credible rules for consumer product testing to evaluate exposure
• Determination of the potential public health impacts of nanomaterial used in consumer products

This research is a part of the U.S. government efforts to assess the potential risks of nanomaterials. These efforts are coordinated by the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). NNI is a collaborative project comprised of 25 agencies, including EPA and CPSC.

Caltha LLP provides expert consulting services to public and private sector clients nationwide to address Environmental Review and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Caltha Environmental Review Website