The Environmental Protection Agency released a review draft yesterday assessing the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on our drinking water supply.
Purpose of the report is to “understand and address vulnerabilities of our drinking water resources” from the threat of hydraulic fracturing. The report, requested by Congress, is so ambiguous that all sides can claim their hollow victory
The report authoritatively adds nothing new to the discussion. The study’s major findings can be summarized thusly:
“Fracking can cause some harm, but not everywhere, at least as far as we can tell.”
The scope of the study was quite a bit smaller than the EPA wanted.
Littered throughout are admissions of a paucity of relevant data and estimates. It seems that oil and gas operators do not cooperate in providing public data.
Of course communities under gag orders as part of their legal settlements were not forthcoming, either.
The End
Also yesterday, Assembly Bill 356, by Santa Barbara Democrat Das Williams, which sought to protect groundwater supplies by enhancing accountability of underground injection wells, has died.
The review draft is available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/hfstudy/recordisplay.cfm?deid=244651
Mr. Murray may be contacted at stephen@sunstruction.com
