Following the invitation of comments from the public by the US Coastguard regarding a proposed policy letter, to allow barge shipments of fracking waste water, several pleas have been submitted in an effort to discourage them from proceeding with the proposal. The proposed policy letter highlighted that waste water from shale gas extraction was transported by trucks or rails and stored at drilling sites or reprocessing centers. The letter added that there has been commercial interest to transport the extract via inland water channels to their final disposal sites in Louisiana, Texas and Ohio.

The letter was proposed on October 30 and comments were to be submitted by November 29. Of the more than 200 comments submitted, the majority were against the proposal. One commenter was against the proposal because of fears that it would put the water sources at risk.

The federal register 46 CFR 153.900 permits the transportation of bulk liquid hazardous material as long as it is a listed cargo; however, the waste water from shale gas extraction cannot be treated as such because of the variation of one load to another.

Please visit eponline.com to read more of the proposed transport of shale energy waste.

Energy / Environmental fracking / shale energy / waste water /