EPA Meeting Addresses Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking
Water
Washington PA Observer Reporter
29 June
2010
As part of a two-year study on hydraulic fracturing and whether it has
any impact on drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
is holding a public meeting in Canonsburg next month.
The EPA will take comments from citizens concerned about the drilling
process as well as stockholders in the natural gas industry from 6 to
10 p.m. July 22 at Southpointe Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Corporate Drive.
The meeting is being hosted as part of a study the EPA's Office of
Research and Development is conducting to determine if hydraulic
fracturing has any adverse affect on drinking water or the environment.
Hydraulic fracturing is used to stimulate natural gas wells in the
Marcellus Shale development and is used locally in gas wells.
An EPA spokesperson said Monday that the time frame to complete the
study is late 2012.
Those attending will have the opportunity to provide verbal and written
comments directly to the EPA. Registration begins at 5 p.m., or people
can register online to attend or to speak. About 100 speaking slots of
two minutes each will be available for the meeting. Priority will be
given to those who register.
Those unable to attend the meeting but who wish to submit comments to
the EPA may do so by e-mail to hydraulic.fracturing@epa.gov. Written
comments also may be hand-delivered at the public meetings or sent to
the EPA at the following address: Jill Dean, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Mailcode 4606M, Washington, DC 20460.
The EPA is using the meeting as another step in developing its study
and the scope of that study. In its fiscal year 2010 budget report, the
U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Conference Committee
identified the need for a focused study of the topic.
The EPA first solicited recommendations from a science advisory board.
After four public meetings, there will be technical workshops and a
peer review.
Other meetings are scheduled in July for Fort Worth, Texas, and Denver,
Colo. The fourth meeting will be held in Binghamton, N.Y., on Aug. 12.
Those wishing to register for the meeting can do so at http://hfmeeting.cadmusweb.com/