August 27, 2015

Connecticut's Fracking Waste Moratorium

OLR Report 2015-R-0178 describes Connecticut's fracking waste moratorium and related requirements of Public Act (PA) 14-200.

Fracking is the process of pumping fluid into or under the surface of the ground to create fractures in rock for exploration, development, production, or recovery of natural gas. It does not include the drilling or repair of a geothermal water well or any other well drilled or repaired for drinking water purposes (CGS § 22a-472).

The moratorium applies to anyone who accepts, receives, collects, stores, treats, disposes of, or transfers fracking waste between vehicles or other modes of transportation. The moratorium lasts until the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) adopts regulations to control hazardous fracking waste material. DEEP must submit the regulations to the legislature's Regulations Review Committee between July 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018, and until they are approved, all fracking waste activities are prohibited.

Read the complete report for more details about the fracking moratorium.