EPA selects Colorado, North Dakotaýsites as case study locations for national hydraulic fracturing study (CO, ND)
Las Animas County, Colo., Dunn
and Kildeer Counties, N.D., among seven locations that will
inform assessment of potential impacts of gas extraction practice
on drinking water resources
(Denver, Colo. --June 23, 2011) The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today, in keeping with the
Administration’s focus on ensuring that domestic resources
are leveraged safely and responsibly, announced the next steps in
its congressionally mandated hydraulic fracturing study. EPA
has identified seven case studies to help inform the assessment of
potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water
resources. The sites identified were selected following extensive
input from stakeholders, including the public, local and state
officials, industry, and environmental organizations. To ensure the
agency maintains the current timeline for the study, the EPA will
begin field work in some of the selected regions this summer.
Natural gas plays a key role in the nation’s energy future.
EPA is working closely with other federal partners to ensure that
this important resource can be developed safely.
“This is an important part of a process that will use the
best science to help us better understand the potential impacts of
hydraulic fracturing on drinking water,” said Paul Anastas,
Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and
Development. “We’ve met with community members, state
experts and industry and environmental leaders to choose these case
studies. This is about using the best possible science to do what
the American people expect the EPA to do -- ensure that the health
of their communities and families are
protected.”
The studies, which will take place in regions across the country,
will be broken into two study groups. Two of the seven sites were
selected as prospective case studies where EPA will monitor key
aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process throughout the
lifecycle of a well.
These areas are located in:
Haynesville Shale - DeSoto Parish, La.
Marcellus Shale - Washington County, Pa.
Five retrospective case studies were selected and will examine
areas where hydraulic fracturing has occurred for any impact on
drinking water resources. These are located in:
Bakken Shale - Kildeer, and Dunn Counties, N.D.
Barnett Shale - Wise and Denton Counties, Texas
Marcellus Shale - Bradford and Susquehanna Counties, Pa.
Marcellus Shale - Washington County, Pa.
Raton Basin - Las Animas County, Colo.
The information gathered from these case studies will be part of
an approach which includes literature review, collection of data
and information from states, industry and communities, laboratory
work and computer modeling. The combination of these materials will
allow us to do a more comprehensive assessment of the potential
impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The
study will continue to use the best available science, independent
sources of information, and will be conducted using a transparent,
peer-reviewed process, to better understand any impacts associated
with hydraulic fracturing.
EPA invited stakeholders from across the country to participate in
the identification of potential case studies through informational
public meetings and the submission of electronic or written
comments. Following thousands of comments, over 40 case studies
were nominated for inclusion in the study. The case studies were
identified, prioritized and selected based on a rigorous set of
criteria. These criteria included proximity of population and
drinking water supplies to activities, concerns about impaired
water quality (retrospective only) and health and environmental
impacts (retrospective only), and knowledge gaps that could be
filled by the case study. Sites were prioritized based on
geographic and geologic diversity, population at risk, site status
(planned, active or completed), unique geological or hydrology
features, characteristics of water resources, and land use.
The draft study plan and additional information: http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing