EPA Will (Finally) Look at Fracking's Effects on Drinking Water

By Susan Phillips / NewsWorks
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Apr. 6, 2011

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President Obama has given the Department of Energy 90 days to look at ways to improve the safety of drilling for natural gas. The Environmental Protection Agency has already started an extensive review of how drilling affects drinking water.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the study is the first of its kind.

In the debate over natural gas drilling, one side says not enough is known about hydraulic fracturing.

The other side says there have been sufficient studies and further reviews will cause bureaucratic delays. Fracking, as it's known, uses a mix of water and chemicals to help extract the gas. The industry says frack water has never contaminated drinking water.

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