The Environmental Protection Agency’s scientific advisors say the agency did not sufficiently justify its conclusion that fracking has not caused “widespread, systemic” groundwater contamination.
When the EPA released its draft study about fracking and groundwater contamination last year, that was the principal finding, despite specific examples of local contamination. In a review of that draft, the agency’s scientific advisors say that conclusion is not backed up by the data.
The advisors recommend the agency provide more evidence, or rewrite its conclusion. They also suggest the agency should provide more details about investigations into cases of local groundwater contamination in places like Pavillion, Wyoming and Dimrock, Pennsylvania.
The EPA says it will incorporate the comments into its final report.
You can read the full text of the Scientific Advisory Board's comments here.
