Cartwright Introduces Legislation to Eliminate Hazardous Oil and Gas Loophole

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright introduced the Closing Loopholes and Ending Arbitrary and Needless Evasion of Regulations (CLEANER) Act.

The legislation, introduced with 100 co-sponsors and endorsed by 206 organizations from across the country, eliminates a hazardous waste exemption that was added to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1980. The CLEANER Act would force oil, gas and geothermal companies to play by the same rules as other industries.

"Under current federal law, oil and gas companies do not even have to test the majority of their waste to see if it is toxic, leaving us with no way of knowing what is being disposed of and how it is being treated. It is time oil and gas companies comply with the minimum standards and oversight that virtually every other industry successfully works with," said Rep. Cartwright.

The RCRA of 1976 requires the safe disposal of solid waste and hazardous materials. In 1980, RCRA was amended to exempt waste from the production and development of oil and natural gas ("exploration & production" waste) and geothermal waste.

Currently the task of regulating disposal of these wastes is left to states, with mixed results.

"RCRA is meant to protect the public and the environment from hazardous waste. Toxins pose health and environmental risks no matter what industry produces them. It's time to hold oil and natural gas producers to the same standards that other industries have complied with for over 30 years," said Rep. Cartwright.

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