This week the federal government will close testimony on proposed fracking rules.
Opponents of fracking say the proposed federal regulations are too weak and those in Wyoming say they prefer the state’s rules.
Deb Thomas of Clark has expressed concerns about fracking in Wyoming for a number of years. She says Wyoming’s rules are strong, but she thinks they could also be improved.
Thomas says that inspectors are rarely available, so residents can also report potential infractions to the state themselves. While she likes Wyoming’s regulations, Thomas does see a need for strong federal regulations for public lands.
Thomas says proposed federal rules need to include some type of disclosure of chemicals used in the process, and that includes what she calls “stimulation efforts” that are used prior to hydraulic fracturing.
“The techniques like acidizing and acid stimulations and then of course how they come in and clean out the wells when the fracture process isn’t successful. There’s a lot more to the process than the actual cracking of rock.”
Public comment on the new BLM fracking rules ends on Friday.
