EPA Study Trounces Fracking

Here goes the EPA again, attacking an industry, horning in on states rights, putting people out of work, and scaring the pants off ordinary citizens. An EPA study says fracking contaminated well water in Wyoming.

But a Wall street Journal opinion article studied the facts in Wyoming. The analysis showed, once again, that the EPA used the power of its federal agency to skew the study toward an agenda-promoting narrative.

Fracking is a process that uses water and proprietary chemicals to release oil and gas trapped in rocks far down in the ground. The EPA study found 2-butoxyethyl phosphate (2-Be) contamination in drinking water wells in Pavillion, Wyoming, and blamed its presence on fracking operations there. 2-Be isn't a fracking chemical, however, and its presence was also found in Pavillion's water long before fracking ever began as an industry there. Oops.

The EPA study comes at a time when fracking operations across the country are providing jobs where few others exist. Witness the jobs boom in North Dakota brought about largely by Bakken oil shale deposits, and Marcellus shale, the most prolific deposit of the Northeast. Both give up their bound oil and gas through fracking. Fracking produces much welcomed energy, especially in the cold season upon us.

Fracking has been alleged to contaminate aquifers. That has never been proven, despite such accusations wherever fracking is employed. Leave it to the EPA to resurrect unfounded claims to resurrect fear in the populace toward an industry that brings nothing but benefit.

The EPA study comes to a place where that government agency has no business being. Fracking is regulated by each of the individual states. Last we knew was that the EPA is a federal agency having no power over states in their oil and gas drilling matters. Well, tell that to the power-mongering EPA, which has been known to overstep its bounds, overreach its authority, and render judgment on everything from soup to nuts to kitchen sinks across the country. Don't forget exhale and light bulbs.

Did I mention what 2-Be is besides an alleged water contaminant in Wyoming? It's a common fire retardant used in the production of pipes, like the ones in the water wells in Wyoming. Be reminded that 2-Be is not a fracking chemical and be reminded that the EPA said such contamination came from fracking chemicals, not the water pipes. Another oops. The EPA has its contamination causes confused.

But did EPA go after the plastic producers? No, it went after the oil and gas producers, the folks who bring Americans that abundant but ill-favored form of energy, hydrocarbons. Do we see unwarranted punishment wielded here?

I don't know how we stand such intellectually barren reports or tolerate the obvious power grabs of the EPA. Its attacks on industries, products, and processes beneficial to Americans are outrageous. Newt Gingrich had it right: out with the EPA once and for all.