Inspector General’s Report on Water Contamination Complaints Associated With Range Resources’ Gas Drilling Operations in the Barnett Shale, Texas, Exonerates EPA’s Investigation and Withdrawal of Enforcement Order, but Acknowledges that Fundamental Questions Remain

摘要

In December (12/20/13) the Office of Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a response to a Congressional Inquiry Regarding the EPA’s Emergency Order to the Range Resources Gas Drilling Co. The OIG evaluated the U.S. EPA’s Region 6 issuance and withdrawal of an emergency order under Section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act to the Range Resources Gas Drilling Co., to determine whether the EPA followed applicable laws and policy. Region 6 initially had concluded that a gas well owned and operated by Range Resources in Parker County, Texas, either caused or contributed to contamination found in the groundwater. Subsequently, in December 2010, Region 6 issued an emergency order instructing Range Resources to investigate the groundwater and soil in the contaminated area to determine the cause of the contamination and to take actions to remediate and prevent further contamination.