Research on Oil and Gas Practices

Without giving any scientific justification, the EPA changed data on the environmental impact of "hydraulic fracturing" -- an oil and gas practice pioneered by Halliburton.

The Bush Administration has changed scientific data or suppressed scientific information to favor an oil and gas practice called “hydraulic fracturing.” The leading provider of hydraulic fracturing is the energy company Halliburton, previously led by Vice President Cheney. According to the company’s web site, “Halliburton pioneered fracturing . . . and has consistently led in the technology.”[1]

In carrying out hydraulic fracturing, companies sometimes inject fracturing fluids containing benzene and other carcinogenic and toxic chemicals into geologic formations containing underground sources of drinking water.[2] In the fall of 2002, EPA officials briefed congressional staff on an August 2002 draft agency study on this issue. The data in the study indicated that hydraulic fracturing could lead to benzene in underground sources of drinking water at levels above federal drinking water standards.[3]

After congressional staff raised concerns about these about these environmental impacts, EPA changed the data. One week after discussing these results with congressional staff, EPA officials produced revised data indicating that benzene levels would not exceed government standards.[4] EPA gave no scientific justification for the change, explaining that it was “based on feedback” from an industry source.[5]

The White House also deleted a discussion of environmental concerns associated with hydraulic fracturing, including the potential for water contamination, from the final White House National Energy Policy. This deletion occurred after such discussion had been included in a draft produced by the Department of Energy.[6]

[1] Halliburton, Fracturing (online at http://www.halliburton.com/oil_gas/sd0922.jsp).

[2] EPA, DRAFT Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs, 5–14 (Aug. 2002) (EPA 816-D-01-006).

[3] Id.

[4] EPA, Calculations for Estimating Fracture Zone Concentrations for Three Scenarios (Sept. 18, 2002), cited in Letter from Rep. Henry A. Waxman to EPA Secretary Christine Todd Whitman (Oct. 8, 2002) (online at http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs/pdf_inves/pdf_enviro_epa_
hydraulic_oct_8_let.pdf).

[5] Letter from Rep. Henry A. Waxman to EPA Secretary Christine Todd Whitman (Oct. 8, 2002) (online at http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs/pdf_inves/pdf_enviro_epa_
hydraulic_oct_8_let.pdf).

[6] Bush’s Energy Plan Bares Industry Clout, Los Angeles Times (Aug. 26, 2001).