EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination

             In Wyoming on December 9, 2011, scientists directly connected contamination in underground water with hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is a processes used to collect natural gas by means of pressurizing wells and using a combination of rock, sand, water and chemicals to break underground fissures (where the gas is). After several complaints from residents claiming their water had a distinct brown tint, the EPA took action. EPA investigators drilled “two water monitoring wells to 1,000 feet to test the water. The test wells contained high levels of carcinogenic chemicals        such as benzene, and a chemical compound called 2 Butoxyethanol, which is used in fracking.”

           

The discovery of these elements in the wells questions whether “fracking” is safe. Drilling companies claimed that fracking is safe because: “hydrologic pressure would naturally force fluids down, not up; that deep geologic layers provide a watertight barrier preventing the movement of chemicals towards the surface; and that the problems with the cement and steel barriers around gas wells aren't connected to fracking.” Doug Hock, the spokesman of the gas company, responded to the EPA tests by saying "it is also important to recognize the importance of hydrology and geology with regard to the sampling results in the Pavillion Field. The field consists of gas-bearing zones in the near subsurface, poor general water quality parameters and discontinuous water-bearing zones."

Since fracking is the main way in which companies receive gas, this situation has sparked heated discussions in congress relating to stricter fracking regulations.