Although labeled a ‘watered down’ bill in clean energy quarters, the proposed energy legislation currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate is still drawing fire — this time from the natural gas industry, which is balking at a late addition to the measure that would force companies to disclose the chemicals used at each well being drilled in  gas fields throughout the country, including within urban regions. Which makes the issue all the more contentious.

Reported by Staff

America’s Natural Gas Alliance, a powerful new group representing the industry, said that regulation of hydraulic fracturing is already being addressed at the state level, and adding a federal level of over site is would be costly and unnecessary.

The opposition, from the ANGA and Energy In Depth, another group representing oil and gas producers, is the latest challenge for the beleaguered energy bill just a few days before it is due for a vote on the Senate floor. It also adds to the difficulties Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, Nev.) has been grappling with, after he failed to get the votes for a national renewable energy standard. The majority leader thought he would get the support of the natural gas industry by including incentives for NG- powered vehicles.

The battle over drilling-fluid disclosure has been gaining steam, with environmentalists and some activists fearing that the chemicals used in the frac’ing process will contaminate drinking water. Energy companies say no evidence exists that the practice is unsafe, and point out that while the chemicals are not publicly disclosed, the infirmation is shared with state and local regulators.

“The entire universe of additives used in the fracturing process is known to regulators and the public,” Lee Fuller, the executive director of Energy In Depth, aid in a prepared statement.

The Senate measure “has the potential to create a series of legal responsibilities that operators, and even service companies, might not be able to fulfill, especially under a scenario where folks are asked to post information that doesn’t even belong to them.”

America’s Natural Gas Alliance said in a statement that “we fundamentally believe that regulation of hydraulic fracturing is best addressed at the state level and we have been unable to reach a consensus with congressional advocates on how this program would be overseen by the federal government. Therefore, we cannot support this language. ANGA does however remain committed to improving transparency, whether through state or individual company action, and will continue to work toward that goal.”

A somewhat different take was offered by Dock Hock, Director of Community Affairs for Encana.

“Encana believes hydraulic fracturing is best regulated at the state level,” he told Colorado Energy News. That being said, the company supports the disclosure of increased information regarding the composition the fluids we use for hydraulic fracturing and is actively encouraging its fluid suppliers, the owners of this information, to improve their public disclosure of fluid formulation information.  Additionally, Encana encourages fluid suppliers to continually advance the development of more environmentally responsible fluid additives.

Doesn’t sound as though this oil and gas player is trying to hide anything.