Green groups press EPA to probe gas ‘fracking’ companies

Environmental groups on Thursday asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to probe whether two large drilling-services companies violated the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) when employing a controversial and widespread gas-drilling method called hydraulic fracturing.

In a letter to EPA, they cite House Energy and Commerce Committee findings that Halliburton and B.J. Services used diesel fuel among the fluids they injected underground during their use of the technique dubbed “fracking” between 2005 and 2007.

“First, we urge the EPA to investigate whether the SDWA was violated when companies used diesel fuel for hydraulic fracturing. Second, while we would also like the EPA to investigate what chemical constituents are being used in hydraulic fracturing fluids, at a minimum we urge the EPA to ask any companies involved in hydraulic fracturing to certify whether or not they are using diesel in fracturing operations,” states the letter from more than two dozen environmental and community groups including Earthworks, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group.

The House committee, when disclosing the findings, said use of the fuel might have violated an industry agreement with EPA not to use diesel. But in a separate letter to Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the groups ask him to urge EPA and the Justice Department to review whether the companies broke the law.

Fracking involves high-pressure injections of chemicals, water and sand to break apart rock formations and enable trapped gas to flow. The technique has helped enable a boom in development of gas from shale rock formations in a number of states, but is bringing concerns about water contamination along with it.

Several bills floating around Capitol Hill would increase federal oversight of fracking by ending an exemption from certain SDWA rules.

But oil-and-gas companies are fighting the bills, alleging state regulations provide needed protections and that another layer of rules would make many drilling operations too costly.

Waxman and Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) have an ongoing probe of fracking.