EPA Releases Rule Requiring Natural Gas Processing Plants to Start Reporting Toxic Pollution

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): In response to a petition by 19 environmental and open-government groups, the EPA released proposed regulations that will require natural gas processing plants to start publicly reporting the toxic chemicals that they release. “Today’s proposal by EPA marks significant progress for public health, the environment, and the right to know,” said Adam Kron, senior attorney for the Environmental Integrity Project. “The oil and gas industry releases an enormous amount of toxic pollutants every year, and communities deserve to know what they’re facing. We hope EPA will move swiftly to finalize and implement this simple yet vital public-reporting rule.”

The proposed regulations come in response to a 2012 petition filed by the Environmental Integrity Project and 18 partner organizations. The groups asked EPA to require facilities in the oil and gas extraction industry to report their toxic pollution to the federal Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), an online public database that has existed for 30 years and to which most other industries have long reported. EIP’s co-petitioners are the Natural Resources Defense Council, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, CitizenShale, Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earthworks, Elected Officials to Protect New York, Environmental Advocates of New York, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, PennEnvironment, PennFuture, Powder River Basin Resource Council, Project on Government Oversight, Responsible Drilling Alliance, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Sierra Club and Texas Campaign for the Environment. The groups filed a lawsuit against EPA in January 2015 to compel EPA to respond to the petition, which the agency finally did in October 2015.

Under EPA’s proposed regulations, approximately 281 to 444 natural gas processing facilities across the U.S. would have to start reporting their releases of toxic chemicals, including xylenes (which can cause breathing problems, headaches and neurological problems), formaldehyde (which is a carcinogen and damages the respiratory system) and benzene (which can cause cancer). Not included in EPA’s decision are well sites, compressor stations, pipelines and other smaller facilities that employ fewer than 10 people. “The oil and gas industry knows its polluting our neighborhoods,” said Aaron Mintzes, Policy Advocate for Earthworks. “EPA isn’t proposing to make them stop, just requiring these companies to let people know about toxic pollution released near their homes, schools and workplaces. And while this rule would cover just natural gas processing plants, by the time they finalize this rule, EPA should also add the well heads, pipelines, compressor stations and other oil and gas infrastructure.”

Courtesy: This article originally ran in the February 2017 issue of Waste Advantage Magazine. View