CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it is dropping its
longstanding plan to have independent scientists review its finding that hydraulic
fracturing may be linked to groundwater pollution in central Wyoming.
The EPA is standing by its findings,
but state officials will lead further investigation into the pollution in the
Pavillion area. The area has been a focus of the debate over whether fracking
can pollute groundwater ever since the EPA's initial report came out in late
2011.
"We stand behind our work and
the data, but EPA recognizes the state's commitment to further
investigation," said agency spokesman Tom Reynolds in Washington, D.C. The
EPA will let state officials carry on the investigation with the federal
agency's support, he said.
Wyoming officials have been
skeptical about the theory that fracking played a role in the pollution at
Pavillion, but Reynolds expressed confidence the state could lead the work from
here. He described the shift as the best way to ensure Pavillion-area residents
have a clean source of drinking water.
No comments:
Post a Comment