EPA's Water Contamination Investigation Halted In Texas After Drillers Complain

[limpyhobbler]

WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) — When a man in a Fort Worth suburb reported his family's drinking water had begun "bubbling" like champagne, the federal government sounded an alarm: An oil company may have tainted their wells while drilling for natural gas.

At first, the Environmental Protection Agency believed the situation was so serious that it issued a rare emergency order in late 2010 that said at least two homeowners were in immediate danger from a well saturated with flammable methane. More than a year later, the agency rescinded its mandate and refused to explain why.

Now a confidential report obtained by The Associated Press and interviews with company representatives show that the EPA had scientific evidence against the driller, Range Resources, but changed course after the company threatened not to cooperate with a national study into a common form of drilling called hydraulic fracturing. Regulators set aside an analysis that concluded the drilling could have been to blame for the contamination.

For Steve Lipsky, the EPA decision seemed to ignore the dangers in his well, which he says contains so much methane that the gas in water pouring out of a garden hose can be ignited.
...

via http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/epa-water-contamination-investigation-fracking_n_2484568.html

[monmouth3]

1. Let's count those cancer cases in a few years also...n/t

[northoftheborder]

2. No wonder the EPA head resigned. It's probably going to be impossible to get .....

.....a strong defender of the environment in that position.

[Nihil]

3. Isn't it nice to know that the "Environmental Protection Agency" is more concerned ...

... with corporate profits than with scientific facts, public health or even (dare I say it?)
the environment?

They are getting almost as believable as the five-sided Ministry of Peace.

All is well in corporateland and the chocolate ration has been increased!

[limpyhobbler]

5. lol

[raouldukelives]

4. Chalk up another victory for Wall St investors! nt

[Bill USA]

6. recommended!