The Energy Department's natural gas/hydraulic fracturing subcommittee is out with its draft report. Here's the takeaway line from the document's executive summary:

"The Subcommittee shares the prevailing view that the risk of fracturing fluid leakage into drinking water sources through fractures made in deep shale reservoirs is remote."

Certainly, the panel had lots to say about standards and practices, protecting the air, surface wastewater containment, transparency and safety - all important - but the sense here is that Americans' chief concern is whether "fracking" threatens their drinking water. Indeed, that's the main claim of people who oppose natural gas as a breakthrough energy source, as well as the technique that has revolutionized its development.

The subcommittee's conclusion:... more »

In today's episode, I interview Patrick Kelly, API's policy advisor for downstream fuels issues, about the completion of the transition from low sulfur diesel to Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel for highway travel.

Use the audio player below to listen to information about the transition and follow along with the show notes. I hope you find the podcast informative.

00:17 Dec. 1, 2010 marks a milestone for the U.S. transition to Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel fuel (ULSD). On that date, this redesigned diesel fuel will become the only diesel fuel sold throughout the country for highway travel. API's Patrick Kelly has been involved in this transition and is here in the studio with us today.

00:42 First of all, how does ULSD fuel differ from the type of diesel that has... more »

Whenever the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues new regulations, it usually includes information about the impact on human health.

For example, the agency's new proposed ozone standard is supposed "to provide increased protection for children and other 'at risk' populations against an array of O3-related adverse health effects that range from decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms to serious indicators of respiratory morbidity including emergency department visits and hospital admissions for respiratory causes, and possibly cardiovascular-related morbidity as well as total nonaccidental and cardiopulmonary mortality."

But will the new ozone standard really do that? Not necessarily, according to a book called Air Quality in America: A Dose of Reality on Ai... more »

Changes are planned for heating oil in the Northeast. In the region of the country where the preponderance of heating oil customers are located, several states are reducing the amount of sulfur allowed in the fuel.

• New Jersey announced recently that it will lower sulfur from 2,000-3,000 parts per million (ppm) to a maximum of 500 ppm on July 1,2014, and then down to 15 ppm on July 1, 2016.
• New York has passed legislation reducing the sulfur content from a maximum of 10,000 ppm to 15 ppm in 2012.
• Maine's regulation, signed into law in April, will reduce sulfur to a maximum of 50 ppm by January 1, 2016 and to 15 ppm by January 1, 2018.
• Connecticut has chosen to follow the lead of three other states. It will reduce heating oil sulfur to 50 ppm in July 2011 and down again to 15 ppm in 2014 o... more »

Why is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in such a hurry to grant a waiver allowing E15 to be sold in the marketplace?

E15 is a fuel blend containing 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. At present, only blends containing up to 10 percent ethanol are permitted, but ethanol producers are pushing for higher ethanol content. EPA has indicated it will make a decision on E15 this fall, despite the fact that scientific research on the fuel won't be completed until 2011.

Now a new study urges caution, saying that the introduction of this new fuel blend is more complicated than it might appear on the surface. The study, conducted by Sierra Research and commissioned by API, says:

"There are many changes that need to be made to federal, state, and local requirements as well as issues... more »