Congress Wants Hydraulic Fracturing Study

The Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill recently signed into law includes a provision requesting the Environmental Protection Agency to determine what effect the practice of hydraulic fracturing has on drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing is a process that pumps water, sand and chemical additives underground to increase the flow of fossil fuels from a well. It increasingly is being used by producers in the Bakken formation to dramatically improve well productivity. The provision requesting the study was authored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY).