Jun 4, 2015 IPAA President Barry Russell’s Statement on EPA’s Draft Assessment on Hydraulic Fracturing
STATEMENT
Barry Russell, president and CEO
Independent Petroleum Association of America
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft assessment, once again, shows that hydraulic fracturing is a consistently safe process that has been effectively regulated by the states. While the EPA may point out some processes that warrant increased attention, the industry has been and will continue to work closely with regulators and stakeholders to ensure that natural gas and oil production protects the environment and the safety of nearby communities.
“A continuing question, moving forward, will be EPA’s actual definition of ‘hydraulic fracturing.’ In the draft report, the agency appears to take a very broad definition and scope of fracturing and categorizes some processes that are not part of actual fracturing activity, such as casing and cementing of wells.
“We believe the science and data reaffirm the industry’s safe practices and we will be thoroughly reviewing the report and working with EPA as it creates a final version.”
About the Independent Petroleum Association of America
The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) is the leading, national upstream trade association representing oil and natural gas producers that drill 95 percent of the nation’s oil and natural gas wells. These companies account for 54 percent of America’s oil production, 85 percent of its natural gas production, and support over 2.1 million American jobs.
