Time and again, the Environmental Protection Agency has uncovered evidence that clearly links shale gas extraction to drinking water contamination — then bowed to industry pressure and retreated from its own findings.

  • In late 2011, EPA found fracking chemicals, including known carcinogens, in drinking water supplies in Pavillion, WY. It warned residents not to drink the water — then caved to industry pressure and turned the investigation over to the state of Wyoming, which claimed it would continue the study, but with industry funding.
  • After finding toxic heavy metals and methane in private water wells in Dimock, PA, EPA aborted the investigation. Despite official assurances that it was safe, EPA field workers reportedly warned residents not to drink their well water.
  • In late 2010 EPA ordered Range Resources to take immediate action to protect homeowners whose water supplies had been contaminated with dangerously high levels of methane. The regional EPA administrator who authorized the action was subsequently forced out of his job, and the agency dropped its action against the driller without explanation.

Read more:

Encana calls on EPA to abandon Pavillion test wells

WY Groups Call Foul as EPA Hands Fracking Groundwater Contamination Investigation Over to State

EPA’s Abandoned Wyoming Fracking Study One Retreat of Many

Internal EPA report highlights disputes over fracking and well water

Why Would EPA Hide Info on Fracking & Water Contamination in Dimock?

DESTROYING THE EVIDENCE

Private water wells on Carter road were ruined in 2008 after Cabot Oil & Gas drilled nearby shale gas wells. Subsequent attempts to drill new water wells were unsuccessful because the entire aquifer had been contaminated.

Finally, after years of protracted litigation, Cabot settled with some of the affected families, but forced them to sign non-
disclosure agreements that bar them from talking about the damage they suffered.

Using a front company, Cabot purchased the Carter road home of
Craig and Julie Sautner for $167,000 — and then promptly tore it down.

SO WHERE’S THE MONEY? AND WHERE ARE THE JOBS??

“Pa. Fracking boom goes bust” was the headline of a recent article in the Philadelphia Daily News that described how Pennsylvania’s so-called fracking boom has failed to deliver. The story profiled several landowners who’ve recently seen their modest royalty checks diminish or disappear altogether.

“Pennsylvania Marcellus shale job creation being overstated?” published in the Philadelphia Examiner, describes how the administration of PA Governor Tom Corbett persists in wildly overstating the number of jobs created by the gas industry. A recent report by the Keystone Research Center reports that since 2010 Pennsylvania has dropped to 46th in job creation among the fifty states.

NO SURPRISE: INDUSTRY-FUNDED STUDY FINDS FRACKED WELLS PRODUCE LESS GREENHOUSE GAS THAN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED

On September 15th, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that harmful atmospheric emissions of methane were less than previously reported by independent scientists. The study looked at only 27 well completions at sites that had been carefully selected by the industry. Anadarko Petroleum, Chevron, Encana, Southwestern Energy, Talisman Energy and XTO Energy are among the sponsors of the study.

A statement by Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy describes the major flaws and limitations of the new study.

ONE THOUSAND TO ONE: THE PUBLIC OVERWHELMING REJECTS PORT AMBROSE

By the time the public comment period closed on August 22nd, the Maritime Administration had received over 18,000 comments on a proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) port off Long Island. Only nineteen of those comments supported the project. On behalf of its members, Catskill Citizens submitted more than 5,400 letters opposing the port.

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