U.S. EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Update

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Update

Greetings,

Important information about EPA’s series of technical roundtables and workshops for the hydraulic fracturing study has been posted online at EPA’s Hydraulic Fracturing Study website. We encourage people to visit this site for the latest news about upcoming workshops as well as materials from the recent technical roundtables held November 14-16.

Today EPA announced the first in a series of technical workshops to discuss Analytical Chemical Methods related to EPA’s study of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. EPA is seeking subject-matter experts to contribute to the workshop. Several experts will be invited to present research technical information, and others will contribute to technical discussions throughout the one-day workshop. This first workshop is scheduled for Monday, February 25, 2013 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Because meeting space is limited, EPA will select approximately 40-50 experts with significant relevant and current experience to participate in the workshop. Subject-matter experts will be selected with the goal of maintaining balanced viewpoints from various stakeholder groups including industry, non-governmental organizations, other federal, state and local governments, tribes and the academic community.

Nominations for this workshop will be accepted through January 8, 2013.

In addition to this announcement, EPA has posted information and materials from the five Technical Roundtables held in November. Each half-day meeting focused on a different stage of the water cycle for EPA’s hydraulic fracturing study. Attendees from across stakeholder groups and with relevant technical backgrounds were invited to briefings by Agency scientists about research activities underway to answer the major questions posed in EPA’s hydraulic fracturing research study. During the discussions that followed the presentations, participants identified potential topics for further discussion at the upcoming series of technical workshops in 2013. Agendas, bios, presentations and other material from the roundtables have been posted with the meeting summaries coming soon.

EPA plans to hold additional technical workshops in 2013 on the following topics. More information is expected in January 2013:

Water Acquisition: Assessing impacts through modeling and other means (target date April 2013)

Wastewater Treatment and Modeling (target date April 2013)

Well Construction/Operation and Subsurface Modeling (target date early June 2013)

Case Studies (target date early June 2013).