Public Comment and Response Summary for the Study on the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Wells on Underground Sources of Drinking Water

摘要

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water completed its Phase I study, which assesses the potential for contamination of underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) from the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into coalbed methane (CBM) wells. EPA (or the Agency) began collecting information on hydraulic fracturing in the fall of 2000. Based on the information collected and reviewed, EPA has concluded that the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into CBM wells poses little or no threat to USDWs and does not justify additional study at this time.