SAB Completes Peer Review and EPA Publishes Scientific Papers for Hydraulic Fracturing Study

EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) has just published its peer review of the June 2015 “Draft Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources,” and the Agency has also now published over 25 peer-reviewed research papers relevant to the study.

• SAB Peer Review: The SAB review recommends that EPA:  revise the major findings to provide clarity and adequacy of support for drawing national-level conclusions about the lack of evidence for widespread, systemic impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources; better recognize the importance of local level impacts; more clearly describe the probability, risk and relative significance of potential hydraulic fracturing-related failure mechanisms; compile toxicological information on constituents employed in hydraulic fracturing in a more inclusive manner; distinguish between hydraulic fracturing constituents injected into a well vs. constituents that come out of the well in produced fluids; and more.

• Research Papers: The peer reviewed papers include analysis of existing data, case studies, laboratory and toxicity studies, and scenario evaluations.  Together, these technical reports and journal articles, along with over 950 publications from other sources, have informed the development of the Hydraulic Fracturing Assessment Study. Future papers will also be posted as they become available.

EPA will use the SAB’s final comments and suggestions, along with the relevant research papers, and public comments received by the Agency, to revise and finalize the Assessment Report by the end of 2016.  To view the SAB Peer Review document, go HERE.  For more information and to view the scientific papers, visit EPA’s website.