"Technology to treat produced water has advanced. But critics warn against relaxing protections for disposal “of what is very hazardous material.”"

"The Trump administration plans to increase “regulatory flexibility” for oil and gas companies trying to find ways to dispose of copious amounts of toxic wastewater.

The wastewater, also known as produced water, comes back to the surface during oil and gas drilling. It contains both proprietary drilling fluids and naturally occurring hazardous compounds found in water underground, which can include organic compounds like arsenic and benzene, a carcinogen. Fracking generates massive quantities of this toxic wastewater that companies are struggling to manage. In the Permian Basin, injecting the water into underground disposal wells has led to earthquakes. The problem has spurred research into new disposal methods.

Under the Environmental Protection Agency’s current rule, discharges of produced water are more restricted in the Eastern United States than in the arid West. The agency announced last week that it will revise that regulation to “help unleash American energy.”

Among the items it’s considering: expanding the geographic range where treated oilfield wastewater can be discharged into rivers and streams."

Martha Pskowski and Kiley Bense report for Inside Climate News March 20, 2025. [2]