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Bill Allayaud of the Environmental Working Group argues fracking should be regulated in California.
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-- -- -- -- My next guest says it's been a wild west out in California he's asking for more transparency more regulation of fracking.
-- in the Golden State joining us now is bill valeo he is -- California director of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.
Bill so you've heard that last report what is your concerning California.
Well fracking in generally is generally safe and but we have to be aware that well casing failures do occur in the industry admits this in California we don't have any record of where they -- so that's the problem.
Secondly there has been shown to be migration of methane from deep down in the higher -- offers so it is a concern not frequent -- a concern.
Third not mentioned -- was the possibility of triggering earthquakes this has been shown to happen in a couple cases not just some.
Deep injection of waste water but from fracking -- -- we wanna keep tabs on that.
Any California our concern has been.
We've been fracking here for about fifty to sixty years not for gas but for loyal.
Read our state agency in charge our division oil and gas wasn't tracking fracking they weren't permitting -- -- no records of fracking.
-- -- since 1953 in Los Angeles and occurs almost on a daily basis.
In our oil fields in current calories so think oil not gas that's a difference in California.
Yet so what -- -- that mean every what would you like to see done differently you don't want it to stop DM.
Well no I don't think any environmental group where most have not call for a moratorium -- and -- natural gas production or fracking for say.
We just think you should be adequately regulated like any industrial process.
I think that -- Californians the public would assume it's happening and would demand to make sure ground water surface water resources aren't affected.
Artificial oil and gas -- -- just recently was even denying was occurring as saying we don't track for gas in California.
We found out we -- regularly for oil.
When we confront and -- that there's still some well we don't need to do any thing.
Just recently new magic there I think it's a good thing as saying.
We wanna do something about it we will produce regulations prey on fracking we are waiting -- we have two bills in the legislature working their way through.
One would require disclosure of the chemicals used in fracking to water use any radioactive elements that are injected this tracers -- and then a second bill that -- pass a source committee yesterday.
Would require advance notice to homeowners and surrounding property owners if you're not just gonna -- could drill any well right now in this state.
You can put an oil or gas well and then your neighbor does even know what's gonna happen.
Regulation of course makes sense that same time you don't want to prevent this from happening.
You know if you look at the -- just coming out of Pennsylvania.
In 2009 which is you know the most recent year that they had data for -- created 24000 jobs.
Added one point two billion dollars in labor income added about two billion dollars to the economy there.
They think that by 20/20 in Pennsylvania alone will add 2111000.
Jobs I understand your concern.
But overall.
I mean it seems like a good thing especially when you look at for example the price of natural gas falling.
To just two dollars a unit from where was fifteen dollars you know maybe ten years ago it's providing a lot of energy and a lot of jobs would you say yes or no.
Well yes it's we don't have big gas booming California we've been producing natural gas here for a hundred years.
Our reserves Arnold tapped out we -- of a steady supply gas -- -- oil drilling.
We -- looking at where they called unconventional.
Plays a Chinese oil shales and so are concerned there is this past the companies explore them.
And create new jobs and energy sources no one's against that what do we do it in an environmentally safe manner.
That makes ransacked very reasonable bill thanks for coming -- we appreciate it.
