Concerns and related regulations 21st-century fossil fuel regulations in the United States

1 concerns , related regulations

1.1 oil spills
1.2 oil workers rights
1.3 pipelines

concerns , related regulations
oil spills

the national oceanic , atmospheric administration within united states department of commerce developed graphic of largest oil spills impacting u.s. waters since 1969. since 2000, largest spill has been deepwater horizon spill of 2010. exception of kalamazoo river (2010), other major spills have occurred around gulf of mexico.

map of largest oil spills in u.s. waters since 1969

in may 2010, united states department of interior called end drilling in area of deepwater horizon spill. despite pushback oil companies , states, supreme court ruled keep moratorium in place until october 2010. bp agreed financial compensation damage caused, including payouts deepwater horizon oil spill trust. regulations drafted after accident required oil companies update safety equipment, including blowout preventers. measure criticized costly integrate , harmful industry , job growth, has been weakly enforced.

despite actions taken, region has been slow recover. during moratorium, there decrease in employment in oil industry along florida coast , net increase in employment in louisiana, received more concern oil industry. coastal areas impacted economically more inland areas. louisiana fishing industry shown still damaged spill years after had occurred. oyster numbers in particular have dropped in region. other @ risk species used sustenance include speckled trout, crabs, , mullet. due proximity spill site, louisiana bore brunt of clean efforts. bp decided on oil dissolving chemical corexit shown united states environmental protection agency neither or least toxic option. criticisms of use of chemical included health impacts on humans, such headaches, vomiting, , reproductive problems.

the kalamazoo river oil spill, first major dilbit spill, occurred in june 2010 in calhoun county, michigan, , led largest on-land spill in american history @ time. pipeline company enbridge promised improve safety measures , agreed pay $177 million resolve violations of clean water act , oil pollution act including additional fines cover other spills , clean-up costs after investigation u.s. department of justice , environmental protection agency. although enbridge purchased 148 houses plus land , mobile homes along spill route, residents did not return area. county director of emergency management believed majority of people living along river won t impacted settlement. city of battle creek, michigan sits in middle of area damage spill occurred; 21.7% of population below poverty line compared 17.5% calhoun county , 18.3% kalamazoo county oil flowed. percentage of population of michigan below poverty line 16.7%. under section 311(c) of clean water act, epa able order enbridge finish cleaning oil spill. although no specific regulations dilbit oil have been proposed, in 2013 when plans keystone xl pipeline being developed, epa recommended state department “include means address additional risks of releases may greater spills of dilbit other crudes” in response damages caused kalamazoo river oil spill. dilbit oil more readily evaporates surface of water normal crude oil, , after evaporation occurs remaining product sinks faster.

oil workers rights

the occupational safety , health administration within u.s. department of labor sets requirements oil companies must abide treatment of employees; among them, employers provide employees safe , healthful workplaces , , employer must held responsible should employee denied rights. title vii of civil rights act, prevents company not hiring on basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin applies oil rig workers. because oil rig workers can working outside osha has jurisdiction within mainland u.s., state or maritime laws may apply instead in cases of unemployment, security checks, , safety regulations responsibilities falling on transportation security administration, fbi, bureau of ocean energy management, , u.s. coast guard. united steelworkers union advocates employees of oil industry.

pointe-à-pierre refinery , fenceline community

as of 2015, there no stringent enforcement of overtime or hazard pay. workers have complained lax attitude of refineries toward improvement of safety measures , equipment resulting in 2015 united steel workers oil refinery strike. agreement reached determine more standardized safety regulations , improve pay , health care costs. such safety regulations important fenceline communities disproportionately impacted pollution generated refining facilities , in people of color tend majority. there has been historic precedence of siting refineries in existing communities of color. bill introduced in 2006 passed house of representatives intent expedite siting process of states offering federal assistance in form of expertise in fields relevant consideration of federal refinery authorizations .

pipelines

pipelines economical way transport large volumes of petroleum products. pipeline , hazardous materials safety administration within u.s. department of transportation responsible enforcing pipeline transport regulations @ federal level. regulations cover hazardous materials transported safety of pipeline itself. series of pipeline safety acts have been passed on years including pipeline safety improvement act of 2002; pipeline safety, regulatory certainty, , job creation act of 2011; , protecting our infrastructure of pipelines , enhancing safety (pipes) act of 2016. individual states have varying regulations transport of oil , out of state boundaries, limits pipelines can built.

protest against dakota access , keystone xl pipelines

as more pipelines built, oil companies profits , investments these companies continue increase. decrease in material costs outweighs net increase in cost of construction. increase in construction costs results largely increased labor , permitting costs. supporters of pipeline transport cite potential job creation, greatest being in construction. estimates job growth vary, , found exaggerated. little evidence has been found support idea oil prices either stabilize or decrease once pipelines constructed.

critics of pipeline transport of oil cite environmental , land rights issues. protests on keystone xl pipeline beginning in 2011 , dakota access pipeline have expressed these same concerns. native peoples have been active protesters. standing rock sioux of south dakota opposed construction plans of dakota access pipeline because ran through symbolically significant area, , expressed concern compromise source of drinking water. since pipelines have been built, multiple pipeline accidents have occurred, resulting in oil spills , contamination of surrounding environment. tribe not involved in planning route pipeline. these protests reflect ongoing struggle native american recognition in united states. in november 2015 president barack obama called stop construction of keystone xl pipeline. in december 2016 army corps of engineers prevented further construction on pipeline near standing rock reservation. on january 24, 2017 president donald trump signed executive order permitting completion of both keystone xl pipeline , dakota access pipeline. on march 24, 2017 permit granted.