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Oil and Water Don’t Mix Act of 2020
3/9/2022, 1:17 PM
Congressional Summary of HR 6112
Oil and Water Don't Mix Act of 2020
This bill establishes requirements governing oil or gas operations, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations.
Specifically, the bill eliminates certain exemptions for oil or gas operations from environmental requirements, including requirements concerning drinking water, stormwater runoff, hazardous air pollutants, and solid waste disposal. The bill also revises drinking water requirements to require fracking operations to disclose the chemicals they use in underground injections.
The bill sets forth requirements to protect the quality and quantity of surface or ground water systems, including by requiring oil or gas operations to replace certain water supplies that have been affected by the production of oil or gas.
In addition, the bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to issue regulations governing the use of fracking under oil and gas leases for federal lands. Until the BLM issues those regulations, the bill reestablishes the requirements of the repealed rule titled Oil and Gas; Hydraulic Fracturing on Federal and Indian Land.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue a rule that adds hydrogen sulfide to the list of hazardous air pollutants. The EPA must also publish a list of categories and subcategories of major sources and area sources of hydrogen sulfide, including oil and gas wells.
Finally, the bill requires the EPA to issue regulations for solid waste associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas, or geothermal energy if the EPA determines that the waste is hazardous.
