Coast Guard wants barges to ship fracking water

[jsr]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/coast-guard-wants-barges-ship-fracking-water

Coast Guard wants barges to ship fracking water
By KEVIN BEGOS
Dec. 15, 2013 9:44 AM EST

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard wants to allow barges filled with fracking wastewater to ply the nation's rivers on their way toward disposal. Many environmentalists are horrified, but industry groups say barge transport has its advantages.

Critics of the plan say that if there was an accident, it could threaten the drinking water supply of millions of people. They also cite the uncertainty around what's in that toxic mix.

The Coast Guard is proposing to address that by requiring chemical testing of each barge load before shipment.

The wastewater now is usually disposed of by truck or rail. A government report notes that poses more risk for accidents than shipping by barge.

[madrchsod]

1. well....

they can`t move barges in the winter and if there`s no rain there`s not enough water in the rivers

http://www.proag.com/News/Without-Rain-Rivers-Dry-Up-and-Barge-Traffic-Slows-2013-10-03/1319

http://business.time.com/2013/01/04/mississippi-river-could-close-to-barge-traffic-within-days/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/22/us-usa-flood-rivers-idUSBRE93L0U720130422

barges in the mississippi carry gasoline,other petro products ,and coal.

[Owl]

2. Where to and how is this toxic crud disposed of?

Nothing in the article gives details. Fracking sucks.

[jsr]

3. Injection wells, mostly