[DRAFT] Hydraulic Fracturing Act

[Old Iron Abs Krabs]

General Assembly Resolution #???

Hydraulic fracturing act

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Category: Environmental

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Industry: Mining

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Proposed by: Old Iron Abs Krabs

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ACKNOWLEDGING the impact of these reforms upon the private sector,

COGNIZANT of the risks associated with these dangerous practices,

RESOLVING to reform these practices for the added safety and security of all member nations,

The World Assembly hereby:

1. DEFINES for the purpose of this resolution:

• "hydraulic fracturing" (or "fracking") as the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc., so as to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.
• “blowout” as a sudden rupture or malfunction of a part or an apparatus due to pressure.

2. FORBIDS member nations from engaging in any type of hydraulic fracturing that may directly or indirectly cause:

• Contamination of groundwater
• Methane pollution
• Air pollution or Climate Change
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Blowouts due to gas explosion
• Large volume water use in water deficient regions
• Earthquakes

[Separatist Peoples]

OOC: As somebody who worked with mud blowouts from HDDs, which work similarly to fracking drills, I can attest that mud blowouts are really not that bad. Haybales and silt fabric solve that problem.

Also, banning mining that indirectly causes climate change essentially bans all petroleum extraction, even done totally safely. Not a chance.

[Old Iron Abs Krabs]

OOC: As somebody who worked with mud blowouts from HDDs, which work similarly to fracking drills, I can attest that mud blowouts are really not that bad. Haybales and silt fabric solve that problem.

Also, banning mining that indirectly causes climate change essentially bans all petroleum extraction, even done totally safely. Not a chance.

edited

[Overthinkers]

Ryder: "Well, definitely better than the average proposal nowadays. Problem is, that's not saying much."
Hall: "Title needs work, maybe something more like 'Mining Practices Act'. Additionally, replacing "fracking" with its full term, "hydraulic fracturing", gives it a slightly more professional feel..."

...
1. DEFINES for the purpose of this resolution:

• "hydraulic fracturing" (or "fracking") as the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc., so as to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.
...
2. FORBIDS member nations from engaging in mining practices such as fracking hydraulic fracturing that may directly cause, or indirectly cause:
...

[OOC: Looks legal and should gain some support outside of approve-on-sight delegates. I wouldn't be surprised if it misses quorum though, and certainly would expect it to fail on the floor.]

[Old Iron Abs Krabs]

edited

[Aclion]

2. is much too severe to stand any chance of passing. I suggest you instead focus on setting standards for environmental preservation that protect the environment while not needlessly hampering industry.

3 is a grammatical mess that adds nothing to the proposal, I suggest you cut it.

4. should be the bread and butter of the proposal instead of 2. in my opinion. It would need to be expanded to present adequate standards to protect the environment. I also note that as written this clause actually requires nations not engaged in resource extract to begin doing so.

You should also take a look at existing proposals as you redraft, since there are already resolutions in place that act to protect air and water and you can't duplicate or contradict them.

I would also remove the mention of hydraulic fracturing if you want to make this about general mining practices as it is out of place and distracts from the core focus. Or you could focus on it exclusively and change the title to reflect that.

Also I have a personal dislike for clauses such as

RECOGNIZING the need for widespread environmental reforms in mining sector practices,

unless they can be backed up by stats, which this one can't.

[Old Iron Abs Krabs]

Edited

[Araraukar]

Are you intentionally forbidding fracking that may cause waste disposal? Because I honestly can't imagine any kind of industrial activity that didn't include waste disposal - if as nothing else, then at minimum the onsite workers' lavatory waste.

Also, why have the "non-environmentally friendly" in clause two? Because that makes it read as though a nation can claim they do it in a way that's environmentally friendly and thus none of the forbidding applies to them despite the restrictions list.

OOC: I'm fairly sure this has been tried a couple of times before. If you search the forum with "fracturing" in the post texts, not just thread titles, I'm sure you can find some of the earlier threads.

[Christian Democrats]

How is groundwater contamination an international issue?

[Calladan]

How is groundwater contamination an international issue?

Rivers sometimes cross international borders?

[Bears Armed]

A resolution to improve member nation's environments by adjusting mining methods in member nations.

OOC: You don't get to choose what goes into this line, it's set automatically depending on the category specified.

Category: Environmental

OOC: Okay.

Strength: Moderate

OOC: 'Environmental' proposals don't have Strengths, they specify the industry or industries affected which in this case would be ‘Industry: Mining’.

[Old Iron Abs Krabs]

Are you intentionally forbidding fracking that may cause waste disposal? Because I honestly can't imagine any kind of industrial activity that didn't include waste disposal - if as nothing else, then at minimum the onsite workers' lavatory waste.

Also, why have the "non-environmentally friendly" in clause two? Because that makes it read as though a nation can claim they do it in a way that's environmentally friendly and thus none of the forbidding applies to them despite the restrictions list.

OOC: I'm fairly sure this has been tried a couple of times before. If you search the forum with "fracturing" in the post texts, not just thread titles, I'm sure you can find some of the earlier threads.

Missed waste disposal from a previous edit. Not intentional !

I don't think it reads as if member nations can falsify their practices. It merely states that they must be environmentally friendly in their hydraulic fracturing.

[Separatist Peoples]

How is groundwater contamination an international issue?

Rivers sometimes cross international borders?

"Then the Transboundary Water Act controls the issue. Aren't you a WA minister of a regional government, ambassador?"

[States of Glory WA Office]

ACKNOWLEDGING the impact of these reforms upon the private sector,

Fairburn: Ah, so you're aware that these reforms will have an impact on industry, yet you've decided not to mitigate such impacts.

COGNIZANT of the risks associated with these dangerous practices,

Fairburn: Such as?

Harold: Such as the harm to the dolphins and the puppies! Won't some please think of the dolphins and the puppies?

RESOLVING to reform these practices for the added safety and security of all member nations,

Fairburn: Why can't member states be responsible for their own security? It's not our concern if they can't safely engage in fracking.

1. DEFINES for the purpose of this resolution:

• "hydraulic fracturing" (or "fracking") as the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks, boreholes, etc.

Fairburn: 'Et cetera'? This isn't a shopping list, Ambassador. If you mean to add something then add it.

2. FORBIDS member nations from engaging in any type of hydraulic fracturing that may directly or indirectly cause:

• Contamination of groundwater
• Methane pollution
• Air pollution or Climate Change
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Blowouts due to gas explosion
• Large volume water use in water deficient regions
• Earthquakes

Fairburn: Dear God, this is a hippy resolution, isn't it?

Barbera: Now, then, that is not at all necessary.

Fairburn: It's true, though. If only Rowan were here. He'd have eaten this right up.

Harold: Wait, this proposal is written on edible paper?

Fairburn: If you'd like, I could stuff it into your mouth.

Harold: ...

Don't mind Fairburn; he's always this cranky. Welcome to the General Assembly.

[OOC: Looks legal and should gain some support outside of approve-on-sight delegates. I wouldn't be surprised if it misses quorum though, and certainly would expect it to fail on the floor.]

That's not how it works anymore. Any proposal that is submitted without a campaign will fail to reach quorum; any proposal that is submitted with a campaign will reach quorum. That is the sad truth of the matter.

Rivers sometimes cross international borders?

"Then the Transboundary Water Act controls the issue. Aren't you a WA minister of a regional government, ambassador?"

I know that the comment is IC, but the position is completely OOC, so I'm treating it as OOC. If it is IC then I apologise in advance for this rant.

*breathes in* Actually, he's the assistant minister. I'm the WA Minister and I must ask that you refrain from mocking the fact that Calladan hasn't memorised every single GA resolution currently on the books. After all, I doubt that any of us have memorised every single GA resolution currently on the books, so less with the snide comments, please.