Clean Water Act Violations: Lessons Learned

Recent Federal action against an oil and gas (O&G) company in West Virginia highlights the importance of being aware of Clean Water Act obligations during the O&G exploration and production process.
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Public Water Systems: Considerations for Providing Water for Oil and Gas Drilling

Water is a critical component in the drilling and development of oil and gas resources in Ohio and surrounding states. Clean water, like energy, also is a resource vital to our existence. In some areas of Ohio, oil and gas companies are turning to public water systems to provide the source of water for hydraulic fracturing. For many municipalities within the shale gas play, this can be a welcome revenue source. However, there are a number of issues which should be considered by both the public water supply and the oil and gas company prior to supplying the water.
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GAO Reports: Regulatory Challenges Associated with Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

At the request of the Senate Environmental Panel, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) prepared two studies on the emerging North American shale oil and gas market. The reports, which are well researched and well written, present a good overview on the current status of the industry. Also included is a review of regulatory frameworks and challenges faced in six states, including Colorado, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming.

A general lack of baseline groundwater data was noted as a source of the uncertainty as to how, or if, these new development techniques may impact drinking water supplies. This sense of a general lack of baseline data is mirrored by US EPA, which has called for a "Request for Information to Inform Hydraulic Fracturing Research Related to Drinking Water Resources" published in the November 9, 2012 Federal Register.
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Ohio EPA Provides Guidance for Solid Waste Landfills Accepting Drilling Waste

Recent development of the shale oil and gas industry will mean a big increase in drilling-related wastes in the State of Ohio. Drilling-related wastes that are transported off-site for disposal are considered solid waste under Ohio regulations. Some of this waste will require solidification before it can be disposed in a regulated solid waste landfill. On September 18, 2012, Ohio EPA's Division of Materials and Waste Management published an advisory to assist landfill facilities in obtaining the necessary authorizations to conduct solidification and disposal of drilling-related waste.
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