When the EPA had released their initial draft report back in the summer of 2015, they were assessing the safety of hydraulic fracking, something that industry groups were using for some time now. The goal of their report was to put to rest the concerns about fracking and potential contamination of drinking water, reports the CS Monitor.
During that draft report in 2015, the EPA stated that hydraulic fracking has no widespread impact on drinking water.
A Turn of Events
Now, the EPA has reversed that decision, saying that fracking does have an impact on water, but only in certain situations, says The Hill.
Per the EPA’s report, hydrofracking can impact drinking water resources in some instances. However, they do not say that there is a systematic or national conclusion about fracking and contamination.
What is Fracking?
Hydraulic fracking involves injecting liquid with high pressure into rocks and boreholes. It forces open fissures that are already existing in the rocks and extracts oil or gas during the process. Those using the process have touted its safety and claimed it did not contaminate drinking water, despite complaints, says the NY Times.
The process is highly controversial, but has revolutionized the American oil and gas industry, making the United States one of the top producers in the world. However, critics have been saying for a long time that the process threatens the environment and contaminates drinking water. They just did not have the EPA on their side, until now.
New Report Worries More than the Last
While the new report does finally admit that fracking could contaminate drinking water, the new report causes more concerns, because the EPA refuses to say how widespread the issue is or admit that it could have a systematic, national impact.
Instead, the EPA states that they could not quantitatively support that statement; therefore, they left it out of the report.
This report was the largest and most comprehensive of its kind to be conducted on fracking and its impact on water supply. It comes just after President-elect Donald Trump vowed to expand the fracking industry and a roll back regulations on how it is completed. Already, the choice for running the EPA, Scott Pruitt, is an individual that has built his career fighting against EPA regulations.
With a new fracking advocate at the helm of the EPA, there is no telling what will happen about environmental protections or what rollbacks Trump plans to make on fracking regulations. Especially now that there is evidence fracking may contaminate drinking water.
The EPA stated that there were several instances where fracking contaminated drinking water. The report is a strong and clear representation of the harm that fracking presents, especially as communities, tribes, and states are working to protect the public health and drinking water resources.
Oil and gas advocates say the report has too many mixed remarks and that the language made by scientists have caused more confusion that resolved the question of whether fracking is safe or dangerous.