While the coal industry used its recent setbacks as an opportunity to shuck off environmental responsibilities, 20 of 28 oil and gas companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) actually improved their scores in an annual investor report card ranking the companies on how they report their policies to reduce risks from fracking operations. Even so, much work remains to be done, with seven out of 10 fracking companies still earning failing scores.

Disclosing the Facts 2015 is the fourth in a series of investor reports intended to promote improved operating practices among oil and gas companies engaged in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing operations often use toxic chemicals and high volumes of water, release significant levels of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and have the potential to adversely impact local communities when not properly managed. These issues translate into financial risks to companies and shareholders in the form of fines, regulations, or threats to companies’ social license to operate.

Disclosing the Facts 2014: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations, an update to our 2013 report analyzing whether companies report their practices and progress in reducing risks of their hydraulic fracturing operations, was released today by As You Sow, Boston Common Asset Management, Green Century Capital Management, and the Investor Environmental Health Network.

Companies across the board are failing to report reductions of their impacts on communities and the environment from hydraulic fracturing.

The oil & gas production industry is consistently failing to report measurable reductions of its impacts on communities and the environment from hydraulic fracturing operations, according to a scorecard report released by As You Sow, Boston Common Asset Management, Green Century Capital Management, and the Investor Environmental Health Network.