EPA’s Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources
Author:
US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Date Published:
3/2014
Description:
At the request of the U.S. Congress, EPA is conducting a research study on the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas on drinking water resources. Natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing that vital resource. There are concerns that hydraulic fracturing may impact ground water and surface water quality in ways that threaten human health and the environment. EPA believes a transparent, research-driven approach with significant stakeholder involvement can address concerns about hydraulic fracturing and strengthen
our clean energy future. The Need for a Study:
Recent advances in drilling technologies have made access to vast reserves of natural gas and oil economically possible in the U.S.
As a result, hydraulic fracturing has increased in some regions and it occurs in a wider variety geologic formations.
These changes have led to an increased public awareness of the potential for hydraulic fracturing to impact drinking water resources.
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