Fracking's Threat To Water Downplayed In EPA Report

An influential government study on the impact of fracking on drinking water may have downplayed the risk this practice plays to water supplies across the country.

“Top officials of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year made critical changes at the eleventh hour to a highly anticipated, five-year scientific study of hydraulic fracturing’s effect on the nation’s drinking water. The changes, later criticized by scientists for lacking evidence, played down the risk of pollution that can result from the well-drilling technique known as fracking,” Marketplace reported in conjunction with APM Reports.

Fracking supporters had celebrated the EPA’s announcement last year that it “did not find evidence that [fracking has] led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States.”

The new investigative report says that officials added the phrase about “widespread systemic impacts” at the last minute. “Earlier draft versions emphasized more directly that fracking has contaminated drinking water in some places,” the investigative piece said.

Another key change made at the last minute, per the report:

The documents also show that the news release accompanying the scientific study was changed on June 3, 2015, the day before it was made public. A draft displayed a conclusion that the EPA had identified “potential vulnerabilities” to drinking water. But the final release dated June 4, concluded: “Assessment shows hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts to drinking water resources and identifies important vulnerabilities to drinking water resources.”

The EPA responded to the investigative report in a statement to CNBC:

EPA's study included the development of multiple research projects involving the analysis of existing data, scenario and modeling evaluations, laboratory studies, toxicological assessments and five case studies. To date, the study has resulted in the publication of multiple peer reviewed scientific products, including 13 EPA technical reports, 14 journal articles and the draft hydraulic fracturing drinking water assessment. EPA anticipates finalizing the assessment report by the end of the calendar year.

Officials from the EPA says the final copy of the $29 million study will be issued by the end of the year, according to reports.

To read more about fracking’s impact on water supplies visit Water Online’s Produced Water Solution Center.