WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hudson Valley Congressman Maurice Hinchey is among 46 House members calling for public disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells drilled on public lands.
In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, the called the disclosure requirement a "critical step forward in encouraging the oil and gas industry to be more transparent and responsibly address the potential implications of hydraulic fracturing on water supplies and public health."
Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," involves the high-pressure injection of millions of gallons of chemically treated water into a deep well to release gas from shale.
The EPA is conducting a study of the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on water supplies. The oil and gas industry maintains that the fracking process has a long track record of safety.
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