EPA, Wyoming agree to more groundwater testing in fracking areas
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have agreed to additional testing of groundwater that the agency says may have become contaminated by gas development including hydraulic fracturing.
They've also agreed to postpone a scientific peer review of a draft EPA report on the contamination until after the additional sampling and analysis. The peer review was scheduled to begin this month.
Gov. Matt Mead said Thursday that the U.S. Geological Survey will conduct two more rounds of testing in the Pavillion area in central Wyoming before July.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, uses pressurized water, sand and chemicals to crack open fissures within wells and improve the flow of oil and gas. The report released in December was the first time the EPA said fracking may have polluted groundwater.