Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 1921 / Introduced in House
I
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1921
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 9, 2013
Ms. DeGette (for
herself and Mr. Gibson) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
A BILL
To repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the
Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Fracturing Responsibility and
Awareness of Chemicals Act of 2013.
2.
Regulation of
hydraulic fracturing
(a)
Hydraulic
Fracturing
Section 1421(d)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300h(d)(1)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following:
(B) includes the
underground injection of fluids or propping agents pursuant to hydraulic
fracturing operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities;
but
(C) excludes the
underground injection of natural gas for purposes of
storage.
.
(b)
Disclosure of
hydraulic fracturing chemicals; medical emergencies; proprietary chemical
formulas
Section 1421(b) of
the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300H(b)) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
(4)
(A) Regulations included
under paragraph (1)(C) shall include the following requirements:
(i) A person conducting hydraulic fracturing
operations shall disclose to the State (or the Administrator if the
Administrator has primary enforcement responsibility in the State)—
(I) prior to the commencement of any hydraulic
fracturing operations at any lease area or portion thereof, a list of chemicals
intended for use in any underground injection during such operations, including
identification of the chemical constituents of mixtures, Chemical Abstracts
Service numbers for each chemical and constituent, material safety data sheets
when available, and the anticipated volume of each chemical; and
(II) not later than 30 days after the end of any
hydraulic fracturing operations, the list of chemicals used in each underground
injection during such operations, including identification of the chemical
constituents of mixtures, Chemical Abstracts Service numbers for each chemical
and constituent, material safety data sheets when available, and the volume of
each chemical used.
(ii) The State or the Administrator, as
applicable, shall make the disclosure of chemical constituents referred to in
clause (i) available to the public, including by posting the information on an
appropriate Internet Web site.
(iii) Whenever the State or the
Administrator, or a treating physician or nurse, determines that a medical
emergency exists and the proprietary chemical formula of a chemical used in
hydraulic fracturing operations is necessary for medical treatment, the person
conducting the hydraulic fracturing operations shall, upon request, immediately
disclose the proprietary chemical formulas or the specific chemical identity of
a trade secret chemical to the State, the Administrator, or the treating
physician or nurse, regardless of whether a written statement of need or a
confidentiality agreement has been provided. The person conducting the
hydraulic fracturing operations may require a written statement of need and a
confidentiality agreement as soon thereafter as circumstances permit.
(B) Subparagraphs (A)(i) and (A)(ii) do not
authorize the State (or the Administrator) to require the public disclosure of
proprietary chemical
formulas.
.