While many were hoping that the EPA’s recent report on fracking would provide some insight into the practice, it ultimately turned out to be a lesson in semantics straight from the Big Energy spin machine. The subtitle of the report reads as follows:
“Assessment shows hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts to drinking water resources and identifies important vulnerabilities to drinking water resources.”
The media was quick to latch onto the language used in order to whitewash fracking as safe. Further into the report, however, we find that this is not actually the case. While the subtitle implies that there was no evidence as to the dangers of fracking, the language used in the body of the report actually states that the assessment shows no evidence–that is, there may very well be evidence against fracking, but the assessment used was inadequate. This should come as no surprise, as the efforts of the EPA to evaluate the impacts due to the “above and below ground mechanisms” were thwarted time and time again. The failure of the EPA to accurately assess the impact of fracking is due in part to the fact that oil and gas companies enjoy exemptions from key statutes in all the major environmental laws. The EPA also relies on voluntary cooperation and disclosures by the industry–something that Big Energy is typically unwilling to provide.
The report uses phrases such as “widespread, systemic” and “rarity of effects” to paint fracking as safe. Any negative consequences are viewed as collateral damage, and the result of rare effects. Despite this, the assessment indicates that even more contamination may be yet to come:
“Given the surge in the number of modern high-pressure hydraulic fracturing operations dating from the early 2000s, evidence of any fracturing-related fluid migration affecting a drinking water resource (as well as the information necessary to connect specific well operation practices to a drinking water impact) could take years to discover.” (p. 6-56)
Despite all of the spin, the impact of fracking on drinking water resources is clear within the report. While the report cites “rarity” of negative occurrences, the bitter irony exists that if fracking continues, such impacts will become widespread and systemic. We have already documented a few of the recent scientific studies proving fracking contamination is a systemic, widespread problem, and we plan on reporting on many more in the coming days, weeks and months, until a national ban is enacted.