Environmental Geochemistry Issues Semi-Monthly

"Alarming" Study Shows Dangerous Water Along Barnett Shale (Brett SHIPP, WFAA News; June 18, 2015) http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/investigates/2015/06/17/groundwater-study-barnett-shale-fracking/28893679/ N. B.:   A copy of the recently accepted research article manuscript  by ACS' Environmental Science & Technology on   June 16, 2015   is available for perusal via Scribd at the bottom on the aforementioned WFAA News article, as well as via the following link: A Comprehensive Analysis of Groundwater Quality in the Barnett Shale Region (HILDENBRAND et al., 2015) http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b01526

Earth's Groundwater being Drained at a Rapid Rate:  Studies ( Agence France Presse (AFP)/France 24 ; June 17, 2015) http://www.france24.com/en/20150617-earths-groundwater-being-drained-rapid-rate-studies Study:  Third of Big Groundwater Basins in Distress (Alan BUIS and Janet WILSON,  NASA JPL News Release ; June 16, 2015) http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4626 Released Research Article Titles ( Water Resources Research , June 16, 2015) Quantifying Renewable Groundwater Stress with GRACE (RICHEY et al., 2015) Uncertainty in Global Groundwater Storage Estimates in Total Groundwater Stress Framework (RICHEY et al., 2015) N. B.:   The two named current studies are available via links provided within the   NASA JPL News Release.

"Mapping 7 Million Gallons of Crude Oil Spills" (Johnathan THOMPSON, High Country News ; June 15, 2015) https://www.hcn.org/articles/spilling-oil-santa-barbara

North Dakota AG:  BLM Fracking Rule Could Cost State Millions (Richard NEMEC, NGI's Shale Daily ; June 12, 2015) http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/102640-north-dakota-ag-blm-fracking-rule-could-cost-state-millions U. S. Fracking Rules to Face Early Test (Ayesha RASCOE, Reuters : June 11, 2015) http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/11/us-usa-fracking-injunction-idUSKBN0OR2QQ20150611 Interior Department Releases Final Rule to Support Safe, Responsible Hydraulic Fracturing Activities on Public and Tribal Lands (Jessica KERSHAW, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) News Release ; March 20, 2015) http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2015/march/nr_03_20_2015.html N. B.:  A link to the BLM Final Rule - - 43 CFR Part 3160 - Oil and Gas:  Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Lands -- is available at the end of the aforementioned BLM News Release.

EPA Says Fracking Could Contaminate Drinking Water (Elizabeth SHOGREN, DC Dispatch/High Country News ; June 8, 2015) http://www.hcn.org/articles/epa-study-finds-fracking-can-contaminate-drinking-water?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email

Injecting Wastewater Under His Own Estate, Local Oil Producer Says "I Practice What I Preach"   (John COX, The Bakersfield Californian; June 8, 2015) http://www.bakersfield.com/News/2015/06/08/injecting-wastewater-on-his-own-estate-local-oil-producer-says-i-practice-what-i-preach.html Excerpt from aforementioned Bakersfield Californian Article... " According to results from testing performed nearly a year ago by Bakersfield’s Well Analysis Corp., no fluids escaped at depths any shallower than about 2,500 feet underground. " Wastewater Injection into the "Santa Margarita Zone" (From third paragraph of the aforementioned article)  -->    Santa Margarita Geologic Formation  As stated on page 77  in   "Names and Definitions of Geologic Units of California", Issues 825 - 830; U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1904: "Named for exposures in Santa Margarita at San Luis Obispo County", the Santa Margarita Formation is...

Head of California Agency Accused of Favoring Oil Industry Quits (Julie CART, Los Angeles Times ; June 4, 2015) http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-head-of-oil-regulating-agency-quits-20150605-story.html Hundreds of Unlined Oil Wastewater Pits in Kern County have No Permits (Ken BRODER, ALLGOV California ; March 2, 2015) http://www.allgov.com/usa/ca/news/top-stories/hundreds-of-unlined-oil-wastewater-pits-in-kern-county-have-no-permits-150302?news=855826 " The Central Valley, where 80% of oil production occurs, has at least 432 active and 198 idle pits. 85% of active pits are within one mile of a waterway.  Numerous communities are located directly adjacent to the pits where farmers and residents rely on local surface and groundwater for drinking and irrigation." Excerpt from "Unlined Pits in Kern County" - Clean Water Action Website Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal:  Unlined Pits  (Clean Water Action Website) http://www.cleanwateraction.org/pag...

California's Largest Lake Threatened by Drought, Water Transfer ( Associated Press/Chicago Tribune ; June 3, 2015) http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-salton-sea-drying-up-20150603-story.html#page=1 The Dying Sea (Dana GOODYEAR, The New Yorker ; May 4, 2015) http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/05/04/the-dying-sea Salton Sea Wins as Calif. Water Standoff Ends  Rebekah KEARN, Courthouse News Service ; May 28, 2015) http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/05/28/salton-sea-wins-as-calif-water-standoff-ends.htm Additional Resources : Hazard:  The Future of the Salton Sea with No Restoration Project (COHEN and HYUN, 2006) http://www.pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2013/02/report15.pdf Background Information on the Salton Sea  California Department of Fish & Wildlife Website https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/6/Salton-Sea-Program/Background

Evaluating a Groundwater Supply Contamination Incident attributed to Marcellus Shale Gas Development (LLEWELLYN et al., 2015) http://www.damascuscitizensforsustainability.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Proof-PNAS-2015-Llewellyn-1420279112.pdf N. B. :  Hyperlink to this recent scientific article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ( PNAS ) Early Edition was made available by  Damascus Citizens for Sustainability . Website Damascus Citizens for Sustainability  http://www.damascuscitizensforsustainability.org/