President Obama: please issue an executive order to implement the recommendations of the DOE Shale Gas Subcommittee
Posted November 4, 2011 in Health and the Environment, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
Over the summer, the Shale Gas Subcommittee (SGS) of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) released a draft 90-day report with recommendations to reduce the environmental impacts from shale gas production. As I blogged at the time, the report contained many important recommendations. Although we don't think the report went far enough, the recommended actions are critical first steps and should be implemented immediately--especially given the subcommittee's findings that "There are serious environmental impacts" that require effective action.
Federal agencies need to implement these recommendations sooner rather than later. That is why the CEOs of national environmental groups sent a letter to President Obama yesterday asking him to issue an executive order directing agencies in his administration to adopt any subcommittee recommendations that apply to them without delay. As stated in the letter, several federal agencies can and should play an active role in implementing the subcommittee’s recommendations, including the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Energy, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
The CEOs emphasize that "....neither federal nor state oil and gas regulatory structures have kept pace with the rapid expansion of energy development occurring in states across the nation. Communities, wildlands, and rivers are suffering significant impacts every day, and deserve better protections."
