The hydraulic fracturing issue has unfolded rapidly on the national scene and investors were at the forefront raising this issue just as the debate was heating up across the country. Investors make decisions based on assessments of risks and rewards. Data on hard financial indicators are relatively easy to gather, but data on companies’ processes for managing environmental and social risks pose a greater challenge. To better address investor concerns, it is necessary for companies to provide investors with assurance that all along the corporate chain of command, managers are reducing business risks by addressing operational hazards and are capturing the genuine, measurable business rewards flowing from environmental management practices that have the potential to lower costs, increase profits, and enhance community acceptance. Investors require relevant, reliable, and comparable information about companies’ operations to make investment judgments based on a robust assessment of companies’ environmental, social, and governance policies, practices, and performance.
Hydraulic fracturing operations use millions of gallons of water and thousands of gallons of chemicals, and generate substantial amounts of waste water and polluting air emissions. They can also be socially disruptive—damaging roads, creating long traffic jams in rural communities, driving up local rental costs and, in some locations, increasing crime rates. Such operations have also been linked to air and water pollution episodes and human health and livestock damage. In the face of these environmental and social impacts, community opposition is growing and in some cases, resulting in restrictions and moratoria limiting business opportunities. The environmental and social risks include the following:
The proponents contend that the company has failed to meaningfully respond in any of the key areas addressed in the proposal. The below chart demonstrates the company’s failure to respond to the “resolved clause” of the proposal.
1 Isabel Ordonez, “Chevron Plays Catch-Up in Shale Gas,” The Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2012.
2 “Chevron Corporation’s 2012 Security Analyst Meeting,” March 13, 2012, available at: http://investor.chevron.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=130102&p=irol-EventDetails&EventId=4134339.
3 Isabel Ordonez, “Chevron Plays Catch-Up in Shale Gas,” The Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2012.
4 “Chevron 10-K For the Filing Period 12/31/2011” Filed on February 23, 2012, available at: http://investor.chevron.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=130102&p=irol-sec&secCat01.1_rs=11&secCat01.1_rc=10.
5 Elizabeth Konstantinova and Joe Carroll, “Bulgaria Bans Gas Fracking, Thwarting Chevron Drilling Plan”, Bloomberg Business Week, January 19, 2012, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-19/bulgaria-bans-gas-fracking-thwarting-chevron-drilling-plan.html; Andra Timu, “Romanians Protest Against Shale-Gas Exploration, Mediafax Says,” Bloomberg Business Week, March 23, 2012.
6 Erika Staaf, “Risky Business: An Analysis of Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling Violations in Pennsylvania 2008-2011,” PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, February 2012, available at: http://pennenvironmentcenter.org/reports/pac/risky-business-analysis-marcellus-shale-gas-drilling-violations-pennsylvania-2008-2011?__utma=1.1997849493.1333033028.1333033028.1333033028.1&__utmb=1.4.10.1333033028&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1333033028.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=172448675 (emphasis in the original.)
7 Chevron Appalachia, available at: http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/drilling/operators/chevron-appalachia-llc/; Atlas Resources, available at: http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/drilling/operators/atlas-resources-llc/.
8 Don Hopey, “Chevron Assessing Damage of Washington Co. Well Leak,” The Post-Gazette.com, February 28, 2012.
9 Sean D. Hamill, “What Fines Reveal About Drilling In State,” The Post-Gazette.com, April 17, 2011.
10 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection media release, “DEP Fines Chesapeake Energy More than $1 Million,” May 17, 2011, available at: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/newsroom/14287?id=17405&typeid=1
11 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection media release, “DEP Orders EOG Resources to Halt All Natural Gas Drilling Activities in PA,” June 7, 2010.
12 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection media release, “Independent Report Faults Clearfield County Gas Well Operators for June 3 Blowout DEP Outlines Proper Procedures for All Marcellus Drilling Firms,” July 13, 2010.
13 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Southwest Regional Office media release, “PA DEP Fines Atlas Resources For Drilling Wastewater Spill in Washington County,” August 17, 2010.
14 Sabrina Shankman, “Pennsylvania’s Gas Wells Booming-But so Are Spills,” ProPublica, January 27, 2010, available at: http://www.propublica.org/feature/pas-gas-wells-booming-but-so-are-spills-127.
15 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection media release, “DEP Orders Cabot Oil and Gas to Cease all Well Fracking in Susquehanna County,” September 25, 2009.
16 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection media release, “DEP Takes Aggressive Action Against Cabot Oil & Gas Corp to Enforce Environmental Laws Protect Public in Susquehanna County,” April 15, 2010.
17 Tracie Mauriello, “Driller Settles with Pa. over contaminated water wells,” The Post-Gazette.com, December 16, 2010, available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10350/1111252-100.stm
18 Mike Lee, Parched Texans Impose Water-Use Limits for Fracking Gas Wells,” Business Week, October 6, 2011, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-06/parched-texans-impose-water-use-limits-for-fracking-gas-wells.html.
19 Mike Lee, Parched Texans Impose Water-Use Limits for Fracking Gas Wells,” Business Week, October 6, 2011, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-06/parched-texans-impose-water-use-limits-for-fracking-gas-wells.html.
20 Mike Lee, Parched Texans Impose Water-Use Limits for Fracking Gas Wells,” Business Week, October 6, 2011, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-06/parched-texans-impose-water-use-limits-for-fracking-gas-wells.html.
21 Earl Hagstrom, “Hydraulic Fracturing Litigation is on the Rise,” Sedgwick. LLP, September 2011.
22 Jack Z. Smith, “Two Lawsuits Contend Groundwater in Barnett Shale Contaminated by Drilling,” Star-Telegram.com, December 15, 2010.
23 Jim Efstathiou Jr., “Pennsylvania Families Sue Southwestern Energy on Shale Drilling,” Bloomberg, September 15, 2010.
24 http://www.propublica.org/feature/buried-secrets-is-natural-gas-drilling-endangering-us-water-supplies-1113
25 Dusty Horwitt, Senior Analyst, Environmental Working Group and Theo Colborn, President, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, letter to David Patterson, Governor of New York and Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, August 11, 2008, available at: http://www.awwa.org/files/Publications/WaterWeek/1219434939844.pdf.
26 “Study Shows Air Emissions Near Fracking Sites May Pose Health Risk,” Press release, the University of Colorado, Denver, March 19, 2012.
27 C. Carswell, “EPA aims to clean up polluted air in Western gas fields,” High Country News, September 5, 2011 available at: http://www.hcn.org/issues/43.15/epa-aims-to-clean-up-polluted-air-in-western-gas-fields.
28 Earthworks website, “Colorado Air Pollution from Oil and Gas,” available at: http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/colorado_air_pollution_from_oil_and_gas.
29 Earthworks. Flowback – How the Texas Natural Gas Boom Affects Health and Safety, available at: http://www.earthworksaction.org/library/detail/natural_gas_flowback.
30 Earthworks Press Release, “Groups, Town of DISH urge Texas regulators to act immediately on behalf of impacted citizens,” December 16, 2009, available at: http://www.earthworksaction.org/media/detail/community_health_survey_shows_shale_gas_threatens_human_health.
31 Global Community Monitor,”Gassed– Citizen investigation of toxic air pollution from natural gas development,” July 2011, available at: http://www.gcmonitor.org/article.php?id=1339.
32 The SEAB Shale Gas Production Subcommittee Ninety-Day Report, August 11, 2011, available at: http://www.shalegas.energy.gov/resources/index.html
33 Alex Wayne, “Fracking Moratorium Urged as Doctors Call for Health Study,” Business Week, January 18, 2012, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-18/fracking-moratorium-urged-as-doctors-call-for-health-study.html
34 Steve Orr, “Fracking: Bane or Boon? A Look Into Industry’s presence in Pa.,” The Democrat and Chronicle.com, December 18, 2011.
35 “Drilling Boom Brings Surge in Crime to Small Towns,” The Associated Press, October 26, 2011.
36 “Drilling Boom Brings Surge in Crime to Small Towns,” The Associated Press, October 26, 2011.
37 Steve Orr, “Fracking: Bane or Boon? A Look Into Industry’s presence in Pa.,” The Democrat and Chronicle.com, December 18, 2011.
38 Steve Orr, “Fracking: Bane or Boon? A Look Into Industry’s presence in Pa.,” The Democrat and Chronicle.com, December 18, 2011.
39 Steve Orr, “Fracking: Bane or Boon? A Look Into Industry’s presence in Pa.,” The Democrat and Chronicle.com, December 18, 2011.
40 Dana Sasarean, Sameul Block and Linda-Elling Lee, “Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing in the US: Opportunity or Underestimated Risk?” MSCI Industry in Focus, Unconventional Oil & Gas, October 2011.
41 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Press Release, “Unprecedented Turnout at DEC Hearings on High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing,” December 1, 2012, available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/78799.html.
42 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Press Release, “Unprecedented Turnout at DEC Hearings on High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing,” December 1, 2011, available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/78799.html.
43 Sabrina Tavernise, “As Gas Drilling Spreads, Towns Stand Ground Over Control,” The New York Times, December 14, 2011, available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/us/towns-fighting-to-stand-ground-against-gas-drillers.html?pagewanted=all.
44 Dan Wiessner, “New York Rulings Could Embolden Towns to Ban Fracking,” Thompson Reuters News & Insight, February 28, 2012.
45 Kris Maher, “New Challenges to Gas Drilling,” The Wall Street Journal, September 12, 2011, available at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903648204576552861902466194.html.
46 “New Jersey Fracking Ban: Gov. Chris Christie’s 1- year recommendation accepted by lawmakers, The Associated Press, January 10, 2012.
47 S. Kofler, “Flower Mound passes gas drilling moratorium,” KERA News, June 8, 2010, available at: http://keranews.org/post/flower-mound-passes-gas-drilling-moratorium.
48 W. Hundley, “Flower Mound extends moratorium on permits for natural gas drilling,” Dallas Morning News, September 9, 2010, available at: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/flower-mound/headlines/20100908-Flower-Mound-extends-moratorium-on-permits-8006.ece.
49 “Flower Mound adopts new gas well and pipelines ordinances,” Cross Timbers Gazette, July 18, 2011, available at: http://www.crosstimbersgazette.com/local-news/1714-flower-mound-adopts-new-gas-well-and-pipeline-ordinances.html.
50 Article IV, Chapter 9.5 of the Southlake City Code. Gas & Oil Well Drilling and Production. Available at: http://www.cityofsouthlake.com/SiteContent/70/documents/Departments/PlanningDevServices/Gas/Codified_880A.pdf.
51 Ordinance 880-B. An Ordinance of the City of Southlake Texas Amending Ordinance 880-A. Gas & Oil Well Drilling and Production of Chapter 95 Article IV of the Southlake City Code. Sec 95243. Operations and equipment practices and standards.
52 D. Stanley, “Commerce City continues drilling moratorium,” ABC 7News, Jan. 24, 2012, available at: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30285558/detail.html.
53 D. Stanley, “Commerce City continues drilling moratorium,” ABC 7News, Jan. 24, 2012, available at: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30285558/detail.html.
54 “Modified the moratorium to enable the [development services] department to take applications for temporary exploration activities . . .still not accepting applications for production.” Oct. 27, 2011. “El Paso County partially lifts drilling moratorium,” Colorado Energy News. http://coloradoenergynews.com/2011/10/el-paso-county-partially-lifts-drilling-moratorium/
55 Jon Hurdle, "Governor Christie puts a one year moratorium on fracking in NJ." Business Insider. August 30, 2011, available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/bans-on-natural-gas-fracking-spread-2011-8.
56 Bans natural gas drilling in residential and conservation areas, including neighborhoods, farms and public parks.
Iglar, Andrea, "Marcellus Shale drilling banned in some areas of South Fayette," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 18, 2010, available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10322/1104009-57.stm.
57 S. Gwynne, E. Souder, and G. Jacobson, “In midst of gas boom anti-drilling movement gains ground,” Dallas Morning News, May 15, 2011, available at: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20110515-in-midst-of-gas-boom-anti-drilling-movement-gains-ground.ece.
58 L. Brown, “Drilling permit moratorium passes,” Denton Record-Chronicle, February 8, 2012, available at: http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_Moratorium_0208.455ccee53.html.
59 M. Norris, "Grand Prairie City Council approves 180-day moratorium on gas-drilling permits," Dallas Morning News, November 18, 2010, http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/grand-prairie/headlines/20101118-grand-prairie-city-council-approves-180-day-moratorium-on-gas-drilling-permits.ece.
60 N. Sakelaris, "Southlake extends gas drilling moratorium," Star-Telegram, June 22, 2011, available at: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/21/3169997/southlake-extends-gas-drilling.html.
61 Rebecca Penty, “Quebec Bans Any Fracking Pending Studies,” The Calgary Herald, April 4, 2012.
62 Tara Patel, “France Keeps Fracking Ban to Protect Environment, Sarkozy Says,” Bloomberg Business Week, October 4, 2011.
63 Elizabeth Konstantinova and Joe Carroll, “Bulgaria Bans Gas Fracking, Thwarting Chevron Drilling Plan”, Business Week, January 19, 2012, available at: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-19/bulgaria-bans-gas-fracking-thwarting-chevron-drilling-plan.html.
64 “Chevron Receives Romanian Approval for Shale Gas License,” Natural Gas Europe, March 29, 2012.
65 Victoria Eastwood, “Concern Over ‘Insanity’ of Shell South Africa Fracking Plans,” CNN.com, March, 23, 2012.
66 Gordon Deegan, “Councillors (sic) Back Fracking Ban,” The Irish Times, January 10, 2012.
67 S.C Gwynne, E. Souder and G. Jacobson, “In midst of gas boom anti-drilling movement gains ground,” Dallas Morning News, May 15, 2011, available at: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20110515-in-midst-of-gas-boom-anti-drilling-movement-gains-ground.ece (emphasis added).
68 Brantley Hargrove, “Fear and Fracking in Southlake,” The Dallas Observer, November 24, 2011.
69 Edward McAllister, “Insight: N.Y. Gas Drillers' Victory Soured by Tough New Rules,” Reuters.com, October 21, 2011, available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/21/us-newyork-shale-idUSTRE79K4YT20111021.
70 Jad Mouawad and Clifford Krauss, “Gas Company Won’t Drill in New York Watershed,” The New York Times, October 27, 2009.
71 Steve Reilly, “Twp New Suits Challenge Gas Drillers’ Claims to Tier Land,” May 3, 2011, pressconnects.com.
72 Steve Reilly, “Twp New Suits Challenge Gas Drillers’ Claims to Tier Land,” May 3, 2011, pressconnects.com.
73 Mike Soraghan, “Obscure Regulator Hits Brakes on Northeast Shale Drilling Rush,” Greenwire reported in The New York Times, September 13, 2010.
74 Andrew Maykuth, “Marcellus Shale Dispute Bubbling Up in Northeast Pennsylvania,” The Philidelphia Inquirer, July 4, 2010.
75 Mike Soraghan, “Northeast Regulator Eases Proposed Natural Gas Drilling Curbs,” The New York Times, December 9, 2010.
76 Senator Robert Casey, Jr, “Statement for the Record, Introduction of the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act,” June 9, 2009, available at: http://casey.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=3D78271C-E412-4B63-95B8-419E75CE2BB6.
77 Committee on Energy and the Environment, “Energy & Commerce Committee Investigates Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing,” February 18, 2010, updated July 19, 2010, accessed: September 23, 2010.
78 Lucia Graves, “Federal Fracking Regulations In Draft Report Would Require Disclosure of Chemicals,” The Huffington Post, February 6, 2012.
79 “Salazar Hints at Fracking Disclosure,” United Press International, February 15, 2012, available at: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/02/15/Salazar-hints-at-fracking-disclosure/UPI-96491329309020/.
80 “EPA Announces Final Study Plan to Assess Hydraulic Fracturing/Congressionally Directed Study will Evaluate Potential Impacts on Drinking Water,” http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6427a6b7538955c585257359003f0230/197771b608adfddb8525793d005379c9!OpenDocument.
81 Ben Geman, “EPA Moves to Require ‘Fracking” Chemicals Information Disclosure,” The Hill, November 23, 2011, available at: http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/195393-epa-moves-to-require-fracking-chemical-info-disclosure.
82 “Shale Gas Production Subcommittee Second Ninety Day Report,” http://www.shalegas.energy.gov/resources/111811_final_report.pdf.