This is example of how the EPA waste our tax dollars-----
EPA backs off fracking-pollution link in Wyoming
The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday backed off
its effort to link groundwater contamination in rural Wyoming to
hydraulic fracturing in a nearby gas field, saying it was turning
the investigation of the matter over to state officials.
EPA said in a statement that Wyoming would take the lead in
examining the source of pollution in water wells outside Pavillion,
which the federal agency itself has been trying to identify
for the past four years.
In a preliminary report on its investigation released in December
2011, EPA linked the source of contamination to fracking –
drawing an outcry from industry officials and state lawmakers.
EPA drilled two deep test wells in the area to determine the
source of the pollution, but its efforts were roundly criticized as
sloppy and unscientific.
EPA responded to the criticisms by agreeing to do further investigation
before it issued a final report and having its findings
peer-reviewed – but that plan has apparently been abandoned.
In its statement Thursday, EPA said that “a source of those constituents
has not been determined. …Efforts to evaluate potential
migration pathways from deeper gas production zones to shallower
domestic water wells in the Pavillion gas field are inconclusive.”
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the
Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will continue
the scientific investigation, with the support of the EPA, an effort
that is expected to conclude by September 30, 2014.
“It is in everyone’s best interest – particularly the citizens who
live outside of Pavillion – that Wyoming and the EPA reach an
unbiased, scientifically supportable conclusion,” Governor Matt
Mead said Thursday.
Representatives of the E&P industry were quick to cheer EPA’s
turnaround. “Today’s announcement reaffirms that state regulators
have the expertise on natural gas operations and are best
positioned to oversee our industry. Once again, after several
years of review, EPA has decided, as it did in Pennsylvania and
Texas, that the states effectively regulate energy development,”
said Marty Durbin, president and CEO of America’s Natural Gas
Alliance.
“America needs to know EPA is employing appropriate scientific
methods for its water quality testing,” Erik Milito, a
spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, said in a
statement. “EPA has to do a better job because another fatally
flawed water study could have a big impact on how the nation
develops its massive energy resources.”
Views: 349
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by w.r. frank on
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You did not write this and could not! It is from some unknown source. You selected the title post. It is a big pile of "nothing."
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Permalink Reply by Steve P on
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this story is the same one I referenced in my post a few days ago [EPA Wrong ....]. I don't know you, Mr. or Ms. Franks, or adubu, but I'm pretty sure that adubu wasn't passing this off as his own original writing, particularly since it has quotes from national figures. So, I'm not sure what you are referring to as the "big pile of nothing."
The story is very significant for 3 reasons: (1) it withdraws the prior assertion that fracking had contaminated drinking water, (2) it re-states support for individual state regulation of the oil and gas exploration industry and, (3) for those of us who continue to place some reliance and comfort in scientific research, it confirms for the third time that we should not rely on any such reports or research out of this EPA.
It may well be a waste of taxpayer dollars, as adubu states, but for me, that is a minor issue compared to the damage that EPA can and will continue to inflict on the US economy with it's now obvious agenda when it comes to the oil and gas industry. Actually, I would turn this around: I think it was an excellent expenditure of taxpayer dollars, because the study paid for by the EPA is a concise demonstration of the fact that the EPA is driven by an agenda, and will stoop to almost anything to achieve their goal, despite the facts, science or engineering behind the "evil" they seek to defeat.
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Permalink Reply by adubu on
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Steve P -- your analysis is correct this was a copy paste from another source and I was not attempting passing it off as author. The waste was EPA not reviewing the State's Data and working along side with States but attempt to verify in sloppy and unscientific way. I agree with your 3 points. Thanks for support and sorry if I dub your prior post I missed it.
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Permalink Reply by William C. Morrison on
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EPA is funded by fines not Congress. So EPA is always on the hunt for money. That is why they are so much after the fracking process. Trouble is all they have proven is that fracking is not generating the problems they want it to.
Had case here in Parker County Texas. In order to make their case to the EPA, the homeowners hooked up a gas line to their water well and then took samples to the EPA. They were sued and found out and now are in big trouble. EPA at first was elected in their find and back tracked after the State of Texas showed the gas contamination was of different gas than that coming out of local wells. It has been all quite here. EPA is packed up and departed Texas in general and left us to our fracking business.
Chip
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