EPA Faces Sharp Split Over Addressing Energy Sector's 'Produceď Water

摘要

EPA is facing sharp differences among key groups about whether scientific data support the reuse of produced water outside of oil and gas drilling by easing regulatory restrictions and taking other steps, as the energy industry claims, or whether the agency should proceed with caution on any changes, as water utility groups and environmentalists insist. The groups outline their contrasting positions in written comments on two EPA policy papers the agency took comment on through July 1. One is a draft report the agency released earlier this year that floats the possibility of regulatory changes to allow discharges of oil and gas extraction wastewaters to surface waters as a way to encourage greater reuse of the water. The other is a "discussion framework", released in April, intended to help the agency develop a draft Water Reuse Action Plan. covering a wide range of industry sectors. EPA has said it plans to finalize the produced water report, which it calls a study, later in the summer. The agency says it will determine at that time what, if any, future regulatory or non-regulatory actions are appropri-ate to encourage the beneficial reuse of oil and gas extraction wastewater under the Clean Water Act (CWA). At the same time, EPA plans to release a draft Water Reuse Action Pian in September at the annual WateReuse Symposium in San Diego. The agency says the plan is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to better coordinate and focus taxpayer resources on some of the nation's most challenging water resource concerns, including ensuring water availability and mitigating the risks posed by droughts.