SR98 1R

Sponsored by:

Senator ROBERT M. GORDON

District 38 (Bergen)

Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

Urges Congress and President to enact H.R. 1084, known as “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of 2011,” and S.587, known as “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act.”

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on May 19, 2011, with amendments.

A Senate Resolution urging the Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R. ¹[No. 2766] 1084¹ , known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of ¹[2009.”] 2011,” and S.587, known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act.”¹

Whereas, H.R. ¹[No. 2766] 1084¹ , known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of ¹[2009,” has] 2011,” and S.587, known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act,” or FRAC Act, have¹ been introduced before the Congress of the United States; and

Whereas, The word “fracturing” in its title refers to hydraulic fracturing – colloquially referred to as “fracking,” “hydrofracking,” and “hydrofracturing”; and

Whereas, Hydraulic fracturing is the drilling technique of expanding existing fractures or creating new fractures in rock by injecting water, often with chemicals, sand, or other substances, and often under pressure, into or underneath the surface of the rock, and often for the purposes of natural gas exploration and production; and

Whereas, When hydraulic fracturing is used for natural gas exploration or production, there may be a greater volume of chemicals used for the fracturing and their toxicity may be of more concern, because during the fracturing, chemicals and materials can suddenly and in an uncontrolled manner be introduced into surface waters and ground water as occurred in June 2010 in Pennsylvania when hydraulic fracturing at a drill site in Clearfield County created an uncontrolled release of many gallons of contaminated water and natural gas; and

Whereas, It still remains to be disclosed the extent of any contamination of surface waters or ground water from that release or even the chemicals and their concentration used at the Clearfield County, Pennsylvania drill site; and

Whereas, H.R. ¹[No. 2766 repeals] 1084 and S. 587 would repeal¹ the exemption for hydraulic fracturing under the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act” and ¹[requires] require¹ disclosure of the chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing; and

Whereas, States such as New Jersey and New York are considering bans on ¹the use of¹ hydraulic fracturing ¹for the purpose of natural gas exploration or production¹ to protect their citizens from the ill effects of potentially extensive pollution of drinking, surface, and ground water; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Congress and the President of the United States are urged to enact into law H.R. ¹[No. 2766,] 1084,¹ known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of ¹[2009,”] 2011,” and S.587, known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act” or FRAC Act, to repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing under the federal “Safe Drinking Water Act” and require disclosure of chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing,¹ for the protection of the health and well-being of the people of the United States.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the President ¹and Vice President¹ of the United States, ¹the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives,¹ the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, ¹[and]¹ every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation ¹, and United States Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania and United States Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado¹ .