EPA says no evidence that fracking has 'widespread' impact on drinking water

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. From the Executive Summary

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[PRE][TT]11 From our assessment, we conclude there are above and below ground mechanisms by which
12 hydraulic fracturing activities have the potential to impact drinking water resources. These
13 mechanisms include water withdrawals in times of, or in areas with, low water availability; spills of
14 hydraulic fracturing fluids and produced water; fracturing directly into underground drinking
15 water resources; below ground migration of liquids and gases; and inadequate treatment and
16 discharge of wastewater.

17 We did not find evidence that these mechanisms have led to widespread, systemic impacts on
18 drinking water resources in the United States. Of the potential mechanisms identified in this report,
19 we found specific instances where one or more mechanisms led to impacts on drinking water
20 resources, including contamination of drinking water wells. The number of identified cases,
21 however, was small compared to the number of hydraulically fractured wells.

22 This finding could reflect a rarity of effects on drinking water resources, but may also be due to
23 other limiting factors. These factors include: insufficient pre- and post-fracturing data on the quality
24 of drinking water resources; the paucity of long-term systematic studies; the presence of other
25 sources of contamination precluding a definitive link between hydraulic fracturing activities and an
26 impact; and the inaccessibility of some information on hydraulic fracturing activities and potential
27 impacts.[/TT][/PRE]

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