Advocates See Major Flaws In Texas' SDWA Oversight Of Oil & Gas Drilling

摘要

Environmentalists are claiming major flaws in Texas' oversight of waivers from Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements for certain oil and gas operations affecting underground sources of drinking water (USDWs), and are urging EPA to assess whether the state's allegedly lax oversight undermines the national waiver program. In a recent report, Clean Water Action says documents it obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests show Texas has not reviewed more than 54,800 aquifer exemption applications. Under SDWA and EPA policy, drillers can obtain exemptions from the water law's prohibition on disposal of energy industry-related wastewater in aquifers that would otherwise by USDWs if they cannot serve as sources of drinking water.