Bernie Sanders wrote:I'm not going to do your homework for you Tzor, you lazy armchair zealot.
Then I'll do it for you instead, and I will even use liberal trash media to do so.
EPA Finds Some Cases Of Water Contamination Related To Fracking, But Says It's Not Widespread: Huffington Post
The agency found "specific instances" where the integrity of fracked wells or the handling of wastewater ended up affecting drinking water. But Thomas Burke, the deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development, said in a call with reporters Thursday that the number of instances was "relatively low when compared to the number of fracked wells."
Trust me Bernie; I live in farmland. The potential damage to the water table from modern farming is massive compared to any potential threats from fracking in that same area. Throw in plumes from the ethanol enabled gas stations and sometimes its hard for the town in my area to find a location to drill for fresh water without contamination.
"After more than five years and millions of dollars, the evidence gathered by EPA confirms what the agency has already acknowledged and what the oil and gas industry has known,” said Erik Milito, group director of upstream and industry operations at API. "Hydraulic fracturing is being done safely under the strong environmental stewardship of state regulators and industry best practices."
EPA Finds No Widespread Drinking Water Pollution From Fracking: NPR The Two-Way
The EPA's draft assessment was conducted at the request of Congress. "It is the most complete compilation of scientific data to date," says Burke, "including over 950 sources of information, published papers, numerous technical reports, information from stakeholders and peer-reviewed EPA scientific reports."
The EPA study does identify some potential vulnerabilities to drinking water. They include the amount of water required for fracking in dry places and fracking in underground formations containing drinking water. The report also raises concerns about wells that are inadequately cased or cemented — something that can allow gases and liquids to migrate below ground. Another area of vulnerability the EPA highlights in its report is how wastewater and fracking fluids from drilling operations are handled and treated.
The American Petroleum Institute says the conclusions echo what the oil industry has argued all along. "Hydraulic fracturing is being done safely under the strong environmental stewardship of state regulators and industry best practices," says Erik Milito, API upstream group director.
Acknowledging the potential vulnerabilities outlined in the EPA report, Milito says, "Continuous safety improvements have been an ongoing part of hydraulic fracturing for 65 years."