Louisiana Oil & Gas Association -

Fleming: Hydraulic regulations could hurt Haynesville Shale

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. John Fleming is blasting Democrats on a House committee for launching an investigation into the safety of hydraulic fracturing.

“The same team that brought America the job-killing, tax-hiking cap-and-trade legislation appear to be at it again,” Fleming, R-Minden, said in a speech last week on the House floor.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, recently wrote to eight oil and gas companies, questioning them about the chemicals they use for hydraulic fracturing, a process that uses pressure from water-based fluids to extract natural gas from shale.

Waxman said it’s important to determine the environmental impact of the process, particularly on drinking water. Environmental groups have raised concerns about chemicals used in the process.

Some lawmakers have proposed legislation to regulate the process, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency plans to study it.

Fleming, a member of the Natural Resources Committee, said the actions could have a “far-reaching negative impact” on consumer and energy producers, including Haynesville Shale.

He said that in 2008, production in the Haynesville Shale pumped $4.5 billion into Louisiana’s economy and created more than 32,000 jobs.

He said the extra federal regulation would increase costs, reduce production and eliminate jobs.

“Production would essentially grind to a halt, and billions of dollars in federal and state tax revenue would be at risk,” he said.

Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, called the investigation into fracturing a “witch hunt.”