Fracking likely linked to groundwater pollution in U.S.

[Spazito]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may have linked fracking — a controversial method of improving the productivity of oil and gas wells — to groundwater pollution for the first time.

The EPA announced Thursday that it found compounds likely associated with fracking chemicals in the groundwater beneath a Wyoming community where residents say their well water reeks of chemicals.

The finding could have a chilling effect in both Canada and the U.S. where various levels of government are trying to determine how to regulate the controversial process. Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping pressurized water, sand and chemicals underground to open fissures and release natural gas and oil trapped in the rock formations.

snip

As part of the investigation, the EPA drilled two deep monitoring wells in the local aquifer and found synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids. It also found benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels in the deep wells.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/12/08/bc-fracking-groundwater-epa.html

[TheWraith]

1. And in other news, winter is cold. nt

[defendandprotect]

16. +1000% --

[Little Star]

2. Wow! The EPA is right on top of things. Not! n/t

[pitohui]

4. was this ever really in doubt?

less time spent figuring out, oh duh, we have a problem when everyone who isn't an idiot already agrees there's a problem and more time spent figuring out how to get the oil/natural gas safely would be a nice gesture...

we all realize that with $3 or $4 a gallon gas, that gas is not staying in the ground, so stop diddling us with "studies" and start setting up processes to protect our water and to compensate those who have their wells fouled

[SecularMotion]

5. I don't think it was ever in doubt

but the frackers have denied that there was any evidence that fracking was the cause of the problems. This seems to be discovery of direct evidence.

[Spazito]

7. That's exactly how I see it....

the evidence is now on record. Many of us knew of the dangers but not the public at large, imo. Anything that helps get the facts out is good!

[joshcryer]

19. The natural gas lobby has spent a lot of effort trying to suppress this.

They even have paid policy analysts posting on liberal sites trying to diminish natural gas pollution.

Fact is, conventional natural gas has peaked, and fracking gas is responsible for all new natural gas production. Every plan that relies on natural gas is effectively relying on fracking.

[XemaSab]

22. And polluted groundwater.

And earthquakes.

[ixion]

6. gee, who could have foreseen that flooding the ground with chemicals would

pollute the ground water?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. who could have foreseen that 19 people would take flying lessons and . . .

oh, wait. Tom Clancy did, 6 years earlier. So did the CIA 15 years earlier. So did the Japanese 60 years earlier.

[ellisonz]

9. Republicans are for dirty water, dirty air, and dirty earth.

[midnight]

10. In some of the farming communities in Illinois this was suspected.

I wonder what took them so long to figure this out?

[defendandprotect]

17. EPA and corporate money ??? "Government under control of oil and coal industry?"

But none of that would be a conspiracy -- right?

[BenYehuda]

11. Fracking needs to be brought to an immediate halt.

....I was in NY when the VA earth quake struck....and I continue to believe all this fracking in the midwest/central/west is causing strange new tectonic shifts.

Why is our country so without leaders who mean what they say.... ......

[defendandprotect]

18. Possibly -- but melting of glaciers is seriously effecting tectonic plates --

and will bring more earthquakes and more severe earthquakes --

That doesn't mean that I don't think it's also possible for fracking to add to

the problems --

Fracking is an insane process -- and they're after water resources linked to NY

and tristates now !!

[Overseas]

12. Sad that the oil and gas industry has rushed into fracking without resolving these issues

I guess I shouldn't be surprised because they didn't use the billions in tax reductions we gave them to improve their oil spill clean up technologies after the Exxon/Valdez. It was really disturbing to see them using 20 year old technologies to clean up in the Gulf after the BP Deep Horizon disaster.

They seem to be A OK with technologies that don't impact the top 1% who can just buy homes away from contaminated areas.

And zoom ahead so confidently with dangerous methods and no improvements to those because they can just return a few hundred million of the tax reductions we have given them as fines.

I guess they've all got grand homes in countries that don't allow fracking so they can be assured of getting clean water for themselves.

[Spazito]

13. Yes, it is very disturbing...

"I guess they've all got grand homes in countries that don't allow fracking so they can be assured of getting clean water for themselves."

I think you are right on point re where they and their families live. If they were subjected to same risks the rest of us are due to their methods, they might, just might, think twice.

[Overseas]

15. Or they'd tell the folks it is their Personal Responsibility to buy bottled water like they do.

Or tell us it is our Personal Responsibility to move elsewhere, like they will, if we're against American Prosperity.

That seems to be the meme of the 1% these days.

[a simple pattern]

21. I think they are also buying up water rights around the Great Lakes and probably other places...

If they can make other peoples' water undrinkable, theirs becomes more valuable.

[burrowowl]

14. Do fauna and flora need water?

"As part of the investigation, the EPA drilled two deep monitoring wells in the local aquifer and found synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids. It also found benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels in the deep wells."

Well light my fire, oops I mean water!

[lovuian]

20. Benzene is very bad

It has a long history of causing cancer

Fracking needs to stop until the industry gets its act together

[Magoo48]

23. If a bunch of guys showed up at my house,

pulled down their pants and took a dump in my yard, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't happen again. Well, these frackers are shitting in our collective yard....over, and over, and over again. It's some toxic shit too.

[Dover]

24. ...not to mention EARTHQUAKES.

It is just unbelievable that we have to spend another dime or study to determine that this whole
fracking adventure is BAD BAD BAD!!!