Fracking: Law and Policy

PART I - THE BACKDROP

Chapter 1. SCOPE

• § 1.01 What Is Fracking?
• § 1.02 What Is Shale?
• § 1.03 How Did Fracking Begin?
• § 1.04 How Are Shale Formations Found?
• § 1.05 Where Are the Shale Formations?
• § 1.06 What Is the Controversy?
• § 1.07 Who Are the Stakeholders?

Chapter 2. THE SCIENCE OF FRACKING

• § 2.01 Technical Framework
• § 2.02 Hydrology
• § 2.03 Geology
• § 2.04 Chemistry
• § 2.05 Petrology
• § 2.06 Other Rock Sciences
• § 2.07 Engineering
• § 2.08 Agricultural Sciences
• § 2.09 Environmental Science
• § 2.10 Climatology
• § 2.11 Computer Science
• § 2.12 Social Sciences

Chapter 3. JURISDICTION

• § 3.01 Federal
• § 3.02 State
• § 3.03 Municipal
• § 3.04 Overlapping, Concurrent, and Conflicting Jurisdiction

Chapter 4. FEDERAL STATUTORY FRAMEWORK

• § 4.01 Comprehensive Federal Fracking Law
• § 4.02 Safe Drinking Water Act
• § 4.03 Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
• § 4.04 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• § 4.05 Energy Policy Act
• § 4.06 Clean Water Act
• § 4.07 Clean Air Act
• § 4.08 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
• § 4.09 National Environmental Policy Act
• § 4.10 Toxic Substances Control Act
• § 4.11 Natural Gas Act
• § 4.12 Natural Gas Policy Act
• § 4.13 Pipeline Safety Act
• § 4.14 Interstate Commerce Act
• § 4.15 National Forest Management Act
• § 4.16 Federal Land Policy and Management Act
• § 4.17 Mineral Leasing Act
• § 4.18 Endangered Species Act
• § 4.19 Migratory Bird Treaty Act
• § 4.20 Marine Mammal Protection Act
• § 4.21 Securities Exchange Act

Chapter 5. REGULATORY INFRASTRUCTURE

• § 5.01 U.S. Department of the Interior
• § 5.02 U.S. Department of Energy
• § 5.03 U.S. Department of Transportation
• § 5.04 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• § 5.05 U.S. Department of Defense
• § 5.06 U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• § 5.07 U.S. Department of Agriculture
• § 5.08 U.S. Department of Labor
• § 5.09 U.S. Department of Commerce
• § 5.10 U.S. Department of State
• § 5.11 Independent Federal Agencies
• § 5.12 Executive Office of the President
• § 5.13 The EPA/DOI/DOE Memorandum of Understanding
• § 5.14 State and Local Agencies
• § 5.15 Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission
• § 5.16 International Energy Agency

Chapter 6. THE FRACKING FRONTIER

• § 6.01 Introduction
• § 6.02 Air Pollution
• § 6.03 Odor Management
• § 6.04 Dust Control
• §6.05 Water Supply and Consumption
• § 6.06 Water Pollution
• § 6.07 Noise Pollution
• § 6.08 Light Intrusion
• § 6.09 Truck Traffic
• § 6.10 Erosion and Sedimentation
• § 6.11 Livestock, Pets, and Food Safety
• § 6.12 Crops and Soil
• § 6.13 Seismic Activity
• § 6.14 Wildlife Habitat
• § 6.16 Radioactivity
• § 6.17 Pipeline Corrosion and Mishaps
• § 6.18 Coastal Zone Management
• § 6.19 Climate Change
• § 6.20 Aesthetic and Visual Impacts
• § 6.21 Social Costs

Chapter 7. THE ECONOMICS OF FRACKING

• § 7.01 Scope
• § 7.02 Mineral Rights and Royalties
• § 7.03 Banking and Insurance
• § 7.04 Real Estate Market
• § 7.05 Tourism and Recreation

PART II - THE LITIGATION LANDSCAPE

Chapter 8. THEORIES OF LIABILITY

• § 8.01 Strict Liability
• § 8.02 Negligence
• § 8.03 Negligence Per Se
• § 8.04 Specific Statutory Breach
• § 8.05 Fraud
• § 8.06 Breach of Contract
• § 8.07 Nuisance
• § 8.08 Trespass
• § 8.09 Waste
• § 8.10 Other Causes of Action

Chapter 9. INITIAL PLEADINGS AND PROCEDURES

• § 9.01 Case Evaluation
• § 9.02 Identification of Defendants
• § 9.03 Forum Selection
• § 9.04 Sample Pleadings
• § 9.05 Case Management
• § 9.06 Lone Pine Orders

Chapter 10. PRETRIAL DISCOVERY AND INVESTIGATION

• § 10.01 Purpose of Discovery
• § 10.02 What Information Is Useful?
• § 10.03 Third-Party Discovery and Investigative Resources
• § 10.04 Freedom of Information Act
• § 10.05 Records Retention Laws
• § 10.06 Spoliation of Evidence
• § 10.07 Open Public Meetings
• § 10.08 Conventional Discovery Techniques

Chapter 11. THE FRACKING TRIAL

• § 11.01 The Unique Science Aspect
• § 11.02 The Admissibility Hurdle
• § 11.03 The Humanization Theme
• § 11.04 Motions in Limine and Other Exclusionary Devices
• § 11.05 Judicial Notice
• § 11.06 Admitting Hearsay Documents

Chapter 12. DAMAGES AND REMEDIES

• § 12.01 Bodily Injury Claims
• § 12.02 Diminution of Property Value
• § 12.03 Remediation Claims
• § 12.04 Medical Monitoring
• § 12.05 Equitable Remedies
• § 12.06 Punitive Damages

Chapter 13. WORKER SAFETY AND INJURY CLAIMS

• § 13.01 Overview
• § 13.02 Transportation and Unloading Injuries
• § 13.03 Excavation and Trenching Injuries
• § 13.04 Rigging Up/Rigging Down
• § 13.05 Drilling Operations
• § 13.06 Chemical Handling
• § 13.07 Silica Dust
• § 13.08 Tripping Out/Tripping In
• § 13.09 Casing Operations
• § 13.10 Blowout Prevention Controls
• § 13.11 Maintenance-Related Injuries
• § 13.12 Special Services
• § 13.13 Workover Injuries
• § 13.14 Well Completion Injuries
• § 13.15 Accident Prevention ;

PART III - PUBLIC POLICY, SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS, AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Chapter 14. MINERAL LEASING LAW AND POLICY

• § 14.01 Statutory Law
• § 14.02 Regulations
• § 14.03 Split Estates
• § 14.04 Fracking Contract Provisions
• § 14.05 Implied Covenants
• § 14.06 Cooperation and Consolidation
• § 14.07 Public Policy

Chapter 15. INDUSTRY REPORTING ISSUES

• § 15.01 Haphazard Chemical Reporting
• § 15.02 Under-Reporting Risks and Events
• § 15.03 Over-Reporting Profits and Reserves
• § 15.04 Section 1504 Disclosures
• § 15.05 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

Chapter 16. CORPORATE RISK MANAGEMENT AND BEST PRACTICES

• § 16.01 Reducing Risk
• § 16.02 Reducing Surface Footprint
• § 16.03 Reducing Water Consumption
• § 16.04 Methane Management
• § 16.05 Ensuring Well Integrity

Chapter 17. SHAREHOLDER AND STAKEHOLDER PROTECTION

• § 17.01 Building Corporate Transparency
• § 17.02 Achieving Regulatory Compliance
• § 17.03 Developing Adaptive Organizations

Chapter 18. INSURANCE AND RISK

• § 18.01 Casualty Loss Risk
• § 18.02 Risk Allocation
• § 18.03 Commercial General Liability
• § 18.04 Operator’s Extra Expense
• § 18.05 Environmental Site Liability
• § 18.06 Environmental Impairment Liability
• § 18.07 Employment Practices Liability
• § 18.08 Business Interruption
• § 18.09 Property Insurance
• § 18.10 Storage Tank Liability
• § 18.11 Contractors Pollution Liability
• § 18.12 Pollution Liability Coverage
• § 18.13 Cleanup Cost Cap Insurance
• § 18.14 Civil Authority
• § 18.15 Ingress/Egress Coverage
• § 18.16 Directors and Officers
• § 18.17 Errors and Omissions
• § 18.18 Rigs, Cargo, and Equipment Coverage
• § 18.19 Workers’ Compensation
• § 18.20 Homeowner’s Insurance
• § 18.21 Motor Vehicle Insurance
• § 18.22 Specialty Lines and Portfolio Products
• § 18.23 Mandatory Fracking Insurance

Chapter 19. OPTIMIZING CITIZEN ACTIVISM

• § 19.01 The Value of Organized Activism
• § 19.02 The Risk of Extremism
• § 19.03 The Contamination of Misinformation
• § 19.04 The Pursuit of Evidence
• § 19.05 The Need for Engagement
• § 19.06 Activist Groups

Chapter 20. PUBLIC POLICY

• § 20.01 Environmentally Sensitive Fracking
• § 20.02 Innovation and Efficiency
• § 20.03 Frackonomics
• § 20.04 Domestic Initiatives
• § 20.05 The International Frontier

Glossary

Table of Cases

Table of Statutes and Regulations

Index

Mark S. Guralnick is a practicing civil trial attorney, writer, and professor in a wide range of professional and academic disciplines. Mr. Guralnick is admitted to practice in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and in England, Wales, Scotland, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. He is board certified in various legal specialties, including civil trial law, international law, professional liability law, and family law. During his more than 30 years in practice, Mr. Guralnick has delivered numerous lectures and seminars to attorneys and other professionals, and has held leadership positions in various domestic and international bar groups.

A graduate of Columbia University, University of London, Bennington College, and other fine schools, Mr. Guralnick holds eight college degrees, including the Ph.D., LL.M., J.D., M.B.A., and M.P.A. degrees. He is the winner of the 1994 Bernard C. Watson Award for Outstanding Dissertation in the Social Sciences, and has garnered seven other writing awards for his publishing accomplishments as a former news reporter and writer. Mr. Guralnick is the author of eight other law books, including a treatise on employment law and a book on formulas for calculating damages in various areas of civil practice.

Mr. Guralnick is a former full-time faculty member at Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he taught in the Law and Society Department, and at the Pennsylvania State University, where he taught in the Humanities Division. As a visiting professor or adjunct instructor, he has taught law, public policy, political science, and business courses at Rutgers University, University of Denver, Franklin and Marshall College, Berkeley College, Rowan University, Bellevue University, and other schools.