News Round-Up: November 4, 2011

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Today’s Essential Reads

FRACKING:

Stray Methane But Not Fracking Fluids Found in Water near Wells

The current issue of Scientific American contains a feature article assessing the issue of water contamination in gas fracking operations, a subject also treated in Spectrum last year. Notably, the SciAm article reports academic research in which water contamination by stray methane but not fracking fluid was found near gas wells. An editorial, building on the article, calls for a slowdown in hydraulic fracturing.

EPA Releases Fracking Study Plan

The Environmental Protection Agency has released the comprehensive plan for its long-term study on the potential effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water supplies.

Shale gas producer Cuadrilla Resources said its hydraulic fracturing process likely triggered two small earthquakes in northern England this year.

EPA to Probe Gas Drilling’s Toll on Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency is set to start the first federal probe into whether the controversial drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing is spoiling and diminishing drinking water supplies.

BP OIL SPILL:

Eighteen months after the company’s Macondo well blew out, killing eleven and spawning the largest oil spill in US history, BP has reappeared on the Gulf of Mexico’s oil and gas exploration scene. After receiving federal approval in late October, the oil giant has moved a Seadrill semi-submersible drill rig, the West Sirius, onto location at its Kaskida project.

Bill Would Require Rescue Boats Within Three Nautical Miles of Active Offshore Oil, Gas Rigs

The U.S. House of Representatives today is scheduled to consider legislation that would require standby rescue vessels within three nautical miles of active offshore oil and gas rigs.

Baltimore Scientists Find Low But Possibly Harmful Gulf Contamination

Scientists from the National Aquarium and the Johns Hopkins University say they’ve found low but potentially harmful levels of toxic oil contaminants in the Gulf of Mexico months after the Deepwater Horizon well blowout was capped.

BP Oil-Spill Doc ‘The Big Fix’ Gets a Local Theatrical Run

Prepare to be ticked off. Fresh off its sold-out North American premiere at last month’s New Orleans Film Festival, the BP oil spill documentary “The Big Fix” gets a full run at the Chalmette Movies starting Friday (Nov. 4), giving non-festival-goers a chance to see what they missed.

RADIATION:

Tepco Detects Signs of Nuclear Fission at Fukushima, Raising Leak Risk

Tokyo Electric Power Co. detected signs of nuclear fission at its crippled Fukushima atomic power plant, raising the risk of increased radiation emissions. No increase in radiation was found at the site and the situation is under control, officials said.

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Stuart H. Smith is an attorney based in New Orleans fighting major oil companies and other polluters.
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