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EPA indicates belief that fracking may have contributed to North Texas earthquakes

August 26th, 2016 by Dakota Software Staff Industry News

EPA indicates belief that fracking may have contributed to North Texas earthquakes

The Environmental Protection Agency conducts an annual evaluation of the Texas Railroad Commission to assess that state organization's actions in supervising the injection and disposal wells that are present across the region. As local ABC affiliate WFAA highlighted in a recent article, the federal environmental compliance regulator's most recent evaluation of the TRC contained language indicating the EPA believes fracking efforts in North Texas could be a significant factor in recent earthquakes that have affected the area. While the EPA didn't place singular blame on fracking for the geological disruptions nor did it completely link the two events together, the wording in the report is still significant.

The EPA's report said its investigation of the situation found a "significant possibility" that the earthquakes and related activity recently seen in North Texas is associated with the many disposal wells in the area. That determination is based on the findings of various research efforts, internal analysis of some seismic events and the connection between decreases in earthquakes in some areas where the use of wells either declined or ceased entirely.

A major shift
Speaking with Jim Bradbury, a Fort Worth-based attorney focused on the oil and gas industry, WFAA reported the statement in the EPA's annual TRC assessment is a major step for the federal agency. Bradbury said he personally couldn't remember an instance of the EPA making such a statement, and said such a shift is a big deal for the agency.

"EPA is concerned with the level of seismic activity during 2015 in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area because of the potential to impact public health and the environment, including underground sources of drinking water," the agency wrote in its report.

With an impetus for closer investigation and more action, the EPA could start making short- or long-term efforts toward increased regulation or other actions available under its purview. However, the response of the TRC doesn't quite mesh with the EPA's findings. According to San Antonio Current, the state agency doesn't have quite the same view as the EPA. Current noted the EPA's report contained language indicating it believes the TRC has previously denied the connection seen in scientific data between seismic activity and fracking. The TRC then responded with a statement noting such accusations were misleading. The commission acknowledged previous discussions and rulings but said they were focused on specific incidents and weren't indicative of a general attitude toward scientific findings.

Bradbury told WFAA the connection between the EPA and TRC could end up causing problems for the state agency. The railroad commission oversees the fracking disposal wells under the jurisdiction of the EPA through a state-level program, and the EPA has the power to revoke that authority. If the two groups continue to clash, it could eventually lead to the EPA using a different approach and a state regulatory body more in line with its views on the science.

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