U.S. EPA Finds Fracking Poses No 'Widespread Risk' to Drinking Water

Environmental groups cast doubt on the EPA's findings.

"There are still significant gaps in the scientific understanding of fracking," said Amy Mall, senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "This study is site-specific and limited, as EPA has explained, which makes it impossible to fully understand all the risks at this time."

Mall said, however, that unlike in the past updates on the study, the EPA this time acknowledged there are some effects on water.

Mark Brownstein, vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund, said the process of fracking itself is just one risk factor.

"Ongoing physical integrity of the wells and handling the millions of gallons of wastewater coming back to the surface after fracking, over the lifetime of each well, are even bigger challenges," he said. "Relentless focus on these issues by regulators and industry is critical."

The EPA's Burke told reporters that oil and gas companies were a major source of information on locations and practices, and that the agency had a "very cooperative relationship with industry."

Energy groups embraced the EPA's findings, saying they backed up other studies by the Energy Department and U.S. Geological Survey.


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