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REVIEW OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 

TECHNOLOGY AND PRACTICES 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND 

TECHNOLOGY 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2011 

Serial No. 112–17 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov 
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY 

HON. RALPH M. HALL, Texas, Chair 

F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., 

Wisconsin 

LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland 

FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma 

JUDY BIGGERT, Illinois 

W. TODD AKIN, Missouri 

RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas 

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas 

PAUL C. BROUN, Georgia 

SANDY ADAMS, Florida 

BENJAMIN QUAYLE, Arizona 

CHARLES J. ‘‘CHUCK’’ FLEISCHMANN, 

Tennessee 

E. SCOTT RIGELL, Virginia 

STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

ANDY HARRIS, Maryland 

RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois 

CHIP CRAVAACK, Minnesota 

LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana 

DAN BENISHEK, Michigan 

VACANCY 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas 

JERRY F. COSTELLO, Illinois 

LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California 

ZOE LOFGREN, California 

DAVID WU, Oregon 

BRAD MILLER, North Carolina 

DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois 

GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, Arizona 

DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland 

MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio 

BEN R. LUJA ́ N, New Mexico 

PAUL D. TONKO, New York 

JERRY MCNERNEY, California 

JOHN P. SARBANES, Maryland 

TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama 

FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida 

HANSEN CLARKE, Michigan 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 

Page 

Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 

Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 

Opening Statements 

Statement by Representative Ralph M. Hall, Chairman, Committee on 

Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ..................... 11 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 12 

Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ........................................................................................................... 13 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 14 

Witnesses: Panel I 

Mrs. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Commissioner, Texas Railroad Commission 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 17 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 19 

Dr. Robert M. Summers, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 23 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 25 

Mr. Harold Fitch, Michigan State Geologist; Director, Office of Geological 

Survey, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; and Board Member, Ground Water Protection Council 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 29 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 31 

Dr. Cal Cooper, Manager, Worldwide Environmental Technologies, Greenhouse Gas, and Hydraulic Fracturing, Apache Corporation 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 34 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 36 

Dr. Michael Economides, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 39 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 40 

Witnesses: Panel II 

Dr. Paul Anastas, Administrator, Office of Research and Development, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency 

Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 76 

Written Statement ............................................................................................ 77 

Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions 

Mrs. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Commissioner, Texas Railroad Commission .......... 96 

Dr. Robert M. Summers, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment ...................................................................................................................... 103 
Page

IV 

Mr. Harold Fitch, Michigan State Geologist; Director, Office of Geological 

Survey, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; and Board Member, Ground Water Protection Council ............................................................... 106 

Dr. Cal Cooper, Manager, Worldwide Environmental Technologies, Greenhouse Gas, and Hydraulic Fracturing, Apache Corporation ............................ 108 

Dr. Michael Economides, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston .................................................................................. 112 

Dr. Paul Anastas, Administrator, Office of Research and Development, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency ...................................................................... 116 

Appendix II: Additional Material for the Record 

Additional Material Submitted for the Record by Dr. Michael Economides, 

Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston .......................................................................................................................... 146 
(1) 

REVIEW OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING 

TECHNOLOGY AND PRACTICES 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2011 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:03 a.m., in Room 

2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ralph M. Hall 

[Chairman of the Committee] presiding. 
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Chairman HALL. Okay. The Committee on Science, Space, and 

Technology will come to order, and we all say good morning and 

welcome to today’s hearing entitled a Review of Hydraulic Fracturing Technology and Practices. 

In front of each of you are packets containing the written testimony, biographies, and truth in testimony disclosures by today’s 

witnesses. Today’s hearing includes two panels which is not the 

typical practice of our Committee. I will have more to say about 

that a little bit later. 

All right. I recognize myself for the first five minutes for an 

opening statement. 

I want to welcome everyone here today for this hearing to review 

hydraulic fracturing technology and practices, and I thank you for 

your time. I know it took time to prepare yourself to travel here 

and to give us this time, and we are very grateful to you. The 

empty seats here shouldn’t startle anybody because everybody has 

two or three Committees, and they are on them. They will be in 

and out of here today, but your testimony has been taken down by 

experts here, and it will be in the Congressional Record for the 

next 200 years for people to read. So we do read these things. 

The primary focus of today’s hearing is our study on hydraulic 

fracturing, and hydraulic fracturing, so far as I understand it, or 

fracking, is the process by which water, sand, and a small amount 

of additives are pumped into a well to create enough pressure to 

fracture formations deep within the earth. That is pretty simple, 

but that is what they wrote out for me to say here. 

Advances in this 60-year-old technology, combined with horizontal drilling, have transformed the production of natural gas 

along with the natural gas industry. 

Access to shale gas that was until recently uneconomical and 

technically unrecoverable is driving state and local economic 

growth all around the country with providing new sources of domestic energy to meet growing demand. As with all energy development, deep gas drilling is not without risk and concerns about potential environmental effects. This has to be examined. 

However, we have to be careful to ensure that such concerns are 

evaluated with objectivity and within the proper context and with 

care taken to avoid the influence of political rhetoric. Science must 

drive that discussion. For example, the University of Texas just announced a comprehensive study that will do just that, separate fact 

and try to look at facts separate from fiction regarding the potential environmental studies of hydraulic fracturing. 

Unfortunately, objectivity is not EPA’s strong suit, and its draft 

study plan is yet another example of this Administration’s desire 

to stop domestic energy development through regulation. 

The study intends to identify the potential impacts of hydraulic 

fracturing on drinking water, without even taking into consideration the probability that such an effect may occur or the ability 

of industry best practices, state laws and direct oversight, and existing Federal laws to manage the risk associated with hydraulic 

fracturing. No regulation or law can totally eliminate risk. A study 

that does not quantify environmental risks using standard practices is useless to regulators and risk managers and as such, is a 

waste of taxpayers’ money. 
12 

With that in regards to process, that is the process we are going 

through today, I want to note my disappointment with the lack of 

cooperation from the Administration in assembling this hearing. I 

am well aware that many of the members sit on multiple Committees and as such, we try to be as respectful as possible on the time 

demands of our members. Unfortunately, this Administration is not 

so respectful. We have invited six witnesses to testify this morning 

on hydraulic fracturing, and as you can see, there is plenty of room 

at the witness table to accommodate all six. However, the Environmental Protection Agency refused to permit Dr. Anastas to testify 

unless he was given his own panel. 

This demand is counter to longstanding Committee precedent. In 

the last decade, EPA Senate-confirmed officials testified on single 

panels alongside with non-government witnesses at least eight 

times that we have records of. I personally wrote Administrator 

Jackson several weeks ago inquiring as to the rationale behind 

EPA’s decision to treat this situation differently from prior practice 

and consistent with this Administration’s refusal to work with the 

Congress, this Administrator failed to even acknowledge, let alone, 

respond to my letter. 

The lack of courtesy and the lack of professionalism being displayed is counter to President’s stated goal that his Administration 

would work cooperatively with the 112th Congress. Of course he 

wants to work cooperatively, work together now, especially in the 

House, and his previous attitude was we won. I hope we never go 

that far. EPA’s actions are unacceptable, are absolutely unacceptable and going to be long remembered. 

I thank the witnesses for even being here. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Hall follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN RALPH HALL

I want to welcome everyone here today for this hearing to review hydraulic fracturing technology and practices. 

The primary focus of today’s hearing is EPA’s draft study of hydraulic fracturing. 

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process by which water, sand, and a small 

amount of additives are pumped into a well to create enough pressure to fracture 

formations deep within the Earth. 

Advances in this 60-year old technology, combined with horizontal drilling, have 

transformed the production of natural gas along with the natural gas industry. 

Access to shale gas that was until recently uneconomical and technically unrecoverable is driving State and local economic growth all around the country while 

providing new sources of domestic energy to meet growing demand. As with all energy development, deep gas drilling is not without risk and concerns about (potential) environmental effects must be examined. 

However, we must be careful to ensure that such concerns are evaluated objectively and within the proper context and with care taken to avoid the influence of 

political rhetoric. Science must drive this discussion. For example, the University 

of Texas just announced a comprehensive study that will do just that—separate fact 

from fiction regarding the potential environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing. 

Unfortunately, objectivity is not EPA’s strong suit, and its draft study plan is yet 

another example of this Administration’s desire to stop domestic energy development through regulation. 

The study intends to identify the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on 

drinking water, without ever taking into consideration the probability that such an 

effect may occur, or the ability of industry best practices, state laws and direct oversight, and existing Federal laws to manage the risk associated with hydraulic fracturing. 

No regulation or law can totally eliminate risk. A study that does not quantify 

environmental risks using standard practices is useless to regulators and risk managers and as such, is a waste of taxpayer money. 
13 

With regards to process, I want to note my disappointment with the lack of cooperation from the Administration in assembling this hearing. 

I am well aware that many of our Members sit on multiple Committees and as 

such, we try to be as respectful as possible on the time demands our Members have. 

Unfortunately, this Administration is not as respectful. 

I have invited six witnesses to testify this morning on hydraulic fracturing, and 

as you can see, there is plenty of room at the witness table to accommodate all six. 

However, the Environmental Protection Agency refused to permit Dr. Anastas to 

testify unless he was given his own panel. 

This demand is counter to long-standing Committee precedent—in the last decade, EPA Senate-confirmed officials testified on single panels alongside non-government witnesses at least eight different times. I personally wrote Administrator 

Jackson several weeks ago inquiring as to the rationale behind EPA’s decision to 

treat this situation differently from prior practice. 

Consistent with this Administration’s refusal to work with this Congress, the Administrator failed to acknowledge, let alone respond, to my letter. 

The lack of courtesy and professionalism being displayed is counter the President’s stated goal that his Administration would work cooperatively with the 112th 

Congress. EPA’s actions are unacceptable and will be remembered. 

I thank the witnesses for being here, and I now recognize Ranking Member Johnson for five minutes for her opening statement. 

Chairman HALL. And I now recognize Ranking Member Mrs. 

Johnson for five minutes for her opening statement. Ms. Johnson. 

Ms. JOHNSON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I must 

say that this is my third meeting this morning and the last two 

that I left many of the Committee members were still there, so I 

am sure they will drift in. 

Thank you for holding this hearing. As Texans, Chairman Hall 

and I know well the importance of oil and natural gas in this country. Fossil fuels power our manufacturing base, our transportation 

sector, our culture sector, and more, and for the foreseeable future 

we rely on these resources and technologies to achieve our energy, 

economic, national security, and in some cases our environmental 

objectives. 

Unconventional shale gas produced through hydraulic fracturing 

may very well be an integral part of our future energy mix, however, we also know that fossil fuels carry significant environmental 

risks. In this I am speaking of the oceans we fish, the soil we farm, 

the air we breathe, and the water we drink, all of which have real 

economic value. Nobody gets rich from clean water and air. But everybody benefits, and nobody should have the right to take those 

away. The Congress has acted in the past to protect these commons 

through legislation such as the Clean Air Act and the Safe Water 

Drinking Act, and results have been just that, cleaner air and safer 

drinking water. 

However, in 2005, Congress exempted hydraulic fracturing from 

the Safe Drinking Water Act, and now we need to understand at 

what cost. Today we will hear that such regulations hinder the development of unconventional oil and gas and that more stringent 

regulations are not needed to protect public health and the environment. 

That may or may not be the case, but we simply do not have 

enough data yet to say, nor will we if industry refuses to disclose 

the chemicals it uses and if EPA cannot do its job of determining 

the risks. EPA study is just in the beginning. In the next few years 

efforts by other agencies, various state regulators, and academic 

groups such as the one being undertaken by the University of 
14 

Texas Energy Institute will add to our understanding of hydraulic 

fracturing. 

In the process EPA has also identified a number of serious issues 

which will be covered in subsequent studies beyond the effects on 

drinking water. Contrary to the industry’s claim that it has been 

doing this safely for 60 years, this is a new suit of technologies that 

may have very different environmental impacts, especially given 

the scale of operations we see today. 

Ultimately, I believe the science will speak for itself, and I sincerely hope that hydraulic fracturing proves to be as benign as the 

industry asserts. Regardless of the outcome of these studies let us 

not be fooled into believing that the drilling industry alone out of 

sheer benevolence will implement cleaner and potentially more 

costly technologies and practices. It has never worked that way and 

likely never will. 

Without regulations to level the playing field there are few incentives to improve the environmental performance. Precaution is warranted here. We have seen recently how flawed industry practices, 

inadequate training and technologies, poorly-designed systems, 

short-sighted risk assessments, lacks governmental oversight, and 

sheer bad luck can have tragic and unimaginable consequences. 

Major disasters such as Fukushima and the Deep Water Horizon 

remind us of the real risk of catastrophic accidents, but they also 

overshadow the frequency of smaller safety incidents and spills and 

the pollution that escapes regulators’ attentions every day. We do 

not have to accept this as the cost of our energy addictions. We can 

do better. 

That said, I want to focus on what I believe is a guiding principle 

of this Committee, which is that technology should evolve and in 

the case of drilling for unconventional oil and natural gas become 

more efficient, safe, environmentally sustainable, and economically 

viable. I want to hear how advances in drilling technologies, chemicals, and practices can protect public health while providing energy 

to our Nation. 

As the President has said, natural gas can a viable domesticallysourced option for significantly decreasing both air pollution and 

America’s reliance on oil. I agree with the President, but I don’t believe we have to compromise our values and violate the rights of 

Americans to cleaner water and air in the process. If hydraulic 

fracturing has problems, let’s acknowledge it and work to advance 

technologies to get around them. 

I look forward to this hearing and any future ones on this subject. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.[The prepared statement of Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson follows.] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF RANKING MEMBER EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

Thank you, Chairman Hall, for holding this important hearing. 

As Texans, Chairman Hall and I know well the importance and the impact of oil 

and natural gas development in this country. Our economy has relied on fossil fuels 

to power our manufacturing base, our transportation sector, our agricultural sector, 

and more. And, for the foreseeable future, the country will continue to develop these 

resources and technologies to achieve our energy, economic, national security, and, 

in some cases, our environmental objectives. Unconventional shale gas produced 

through hydraulic fracturing may very well play an integral role in meeting these 

goals. 
15 

However, we must acknowledge that the development of any fossil resource can 

have significant negative environmental impacts. I am not speaking of the environment for its own sake, but of the very oceans we fish, the air we breathe, and the 

water we drink. Like oil and gas, these too have real economic value. While few people get rich from clean air and water, everybody benefits. Likewise, nobody should 

have the right to take those away, regardless of the potential for financial profit. 

This strikes me as something on which most all of our constituents would agree. 

The Congress has acted in the past to protect these commons through legislation 

such as the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the results have 

been just that —cleaner air and safer drinking water. However, in 2005, anticipating the boom to come, Congress awarded drillers with an exemption from the 

Safe Drinking Water Act for hydraulic fracturing. 

Today we will hear from some Members and witnesses that such regulations 

make it difficult and more costly to extract unconventional oil and gas, and that industry does not need more stringent regulations to protect public health and the environment. Maybe we do, or maybe we don’t. We simply do not have enough data 

yet to say, nor will we if industry is not forthcoming in disclosing the chemicals it 

uses and if Congress does not allow the EPA to do its job of determining the risks 

of these practices. 

EPA’s work is just the beginning. In the next few years efforts by the Department 

of Energy, various state regulators, and interdisciplinary academic projects, such as 

the one being undertaken by the University of Texas Energy Institute, and others 

will add to the overall understanding of the impacts of this new suite of technologies 

known as hydraulic fracturing. And, let us be clear that, contrary to industry claims 

that it has been doing this safely for 60 years, this is a new suite of technologies 

that may have very different and lasting environmental impacts, especially when 

compounded by the sheer scale of operations we see today. 

If there is conclusive evidence that the chemicals and practices used by the drilling industry contaminate water supplies, Congress has a responsibility to acknowledge these new risks and protect the public. I believe the science will ultimately 

speak for itself, and I sincerely hope that hydraulic fracturing proves to be as benign as the industry claims. 

No matter what the outcome, let us not be fooled into believing that we can rely 

on the industry, out of sheer benevolence, to change the way they operate or to implement cleaner, but potentially more costly, technologies. With very few exceptions, 

it has never worked that way, and likely never will. Without regulations to level 

the playing field, they simply do not have the financial incentive to do so. 

It is not alarmist to exercise precaution here, nor is it unwarranted. Too often we 

are reminded of how flawed industry practices, inadequate training and technologies, poorly designed systems, shortsighted risk assessments, lax governmental 

oversight, and sheer bad luck can contribute to tragedies in the energy industry. 

Major disasters such as Fukushima and the Deepwater Horizon serve to remind us 

of the risk of truly catastrophic, and previously unimaginable, events. But, they also 

overshadow the frequency of smaller safety incidents and spills, as well as the 

lower-level pollution that escapes regulators’ attention every day. We do not have 

to accept this as the cost of our energy addiction. We can do better. 

That being said, I want to focus on what I believe is a guiding principle of this 

Committee, which is that technology should continue to evolve, and, in the case of 

drilling for unconventional oil and natural gas, become more efficient, safer, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable. I want to hear from this panel 

how advancements in everything from casing technologies to the recycling of water 

and the greening of chemicals can protect public health while still producing domestic energy sources. 

Additionally, I want to hear what role the Federal Government should play in 

both developing and understanding the impacts of these technologies. The Department of Energy was instrumental in developing new technologies to make extraction 

of unconventional natural gas from shale formations feasible, and I would like to 

hear how such federal resources could now be leveraged to clean up these processes. 

So I look forward to learning about the study that Congress has directed EPA to 

conduct on the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on water. While I had hoped that 

EPA would have been able to cover some important issues related to hydraulic fracturing other than drinking water, such as air quality, it is clear that this may have 

to be covered in a different study. 

As the President has said, natural gas has the potential to be a viable domestically-sourced option for significantly decreasing air pollution while reducing America’s reliance on oil. I agree with the President, but I don’t believe we have to compromise our values and violate the rights of Americans to cleaner water and air to 
16 

get there. If there are problems with hydraulic fracturing, let’s acknowledge them 

and work to advance technologies that remedy them. 

I look forward to this and future hearings on this subject. 

Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. The gentlelady from Texas yields back. 

If there are other members who wish to submit additional opening statements, your statements will be added to the record at this 

point. 

At this time I would like to introduce the first panel of witnesses. 

Our first witness is Mrs. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Chairman. She 

is the leader of the Texas Railroad Commission. That is the state 

agency that oversees all aspects of Texas oil and gas, natural gas 

industry. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Interstate Oil and Gas 

Compact Commission and a former member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Southern 

States Energy Board. Prior to her appointment to the Railroad 

Commission Mrs. Jones served as a member of the Texas House of 

Representatives. Her family are and have been long-time leaders in 

the energy field, and Chairwoman Jones is recognized as knowing 

as much or more about energy than most public servants. We are 

very happy to have you with us, and thank you for traveling from 

Austin and leaving that legislature in session there, and I hope 

they are working on a good Congressional District for Mrs. Johnson 

and for me and for the others. 

Our second witness is Dr. Robert Summers, and at this time I 

yield to Mr. Sarbanes, the gentleman from Maryland, to introduce 

Dr. Summers. 

Mr. SARBANES. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to 

introduce to the Committee Dr. Robert Summers, who was very recently named by our governor, Martin O’Malley, to be the Secretary 

of the Maryland Department of the Environment, but he has 

served in the Maryland Department of the Environment for many 

years. He was Deputy Secretary from January of 2007, he became 

Acting Secretary in December of 2010, and Dr. Summers leads the 

Department’s planning, regulatory, management, and financing 

programs focusing on restoring public health, insuring a safe and 

reliable water supply, restoring and protecting air quality, wetlands and waterways, et cetera. 

He has served the citizens of Maryland for over 27 years in a variety of capacities within Maryland’s environmental programs, emphasizing scientific and technical issues related to water pollution 

control, drinking water protection, and federal, state, and local government environmental laws and regulations. 

He has a very, I think, sophisticated understanding of the interplay between the different levels of government oversight relating 

to these kinds of issues. It is a pleasure to have him before the 

Committee today, and I yield back. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. Reclaiming my time 

I thank you, Mr. Sarbanes, for that introduction. 

Our third witness is Mr. Harold Fitch. Mr. Fitch is a Michigan 

State Geologist, Director of the Office of Geological Survey at the 

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and a Board Member of the Groundwater Protection Council. He oversees the regula-
17 

tion of oil, natural gas, and mining operations in the State of 

Michigan, and we thank you for being here. 

Our fourth witness, Dr. Cal Cooper, is the Worldwide Manager 

of Environmental Technologies, Greenhouse Gas, and Hydraulic 

Fracturing for Apache Corporation. For the past few years he 

served on technical committees for industry associations and has 

spearheaded the move to publicly disclose fracturing fluids and produced waters. Prior to the service with Apache, Dr. Cooper worked 

for several multinational oil and gas companies throughout his career and is considered an expert in subsurface geosciences. 

Our final witness on the first panel is Dr. Michael Economides, 

a Chemical and Petroleum Engineer and expert on energy geopolitics and a Professor at the Cullen College of Environmental at 

the University of Houston. Dr. Economides, am I saying that right? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Pretty close. 

Chairman HALL. He served as a technical advisor at the energy 

companies in Europe, Asia, and South America. He is also Editorin-Chief of the Energy Tribune and of the Peer Reviewed Journal 

of Natural Gas, Science, and Engineering. 

As our witnesses should know and probably do know, your testimony is limited to five minutes. We hope you can stay there, but 

if you go over a little, we respect that. We are not going to have 

a hard gamut. You have given us your time and preparation and 

you are here, which is more than some of the others would do. 

After which each Member here will have five minutes to ask each 

of you questions or all of you together questions, and we will stay 

pretty close to that five minutes if we can. 

I recognize our first witness, Mrs. Elizabeth Ames Jones from the 

Texas Railroad Commission. Mrs. Jones. 

STATEMENT OF MRS. ELIZABETH AMES JONES, COMMISSIONER, TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you, Chairman Hall and Ranking Member 

Johnson and Members of this Committee for the opportunity to be 

here before you today. I am delighted to represent the interests of 

Texas, a state that you so eloquently stated is prominent in the 

regulation of oil and natural gas. We are, in fact, the top-producing 

state in the country, and we regulate, have a lot of hydraulic fracturing that goes on and has been ongoing in the State of Texas for 

over 50 years. 

So to that extent I would say that we have a little bit of expertise 

in this arena that everybody across the country is so interested in 

now. As chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission I am head of 

the agency that oversees Texas’s rich energy resources. 

Over 45 percent of all of all the rigs running in the America are 

running in Texas, so it is fair to say I have a bird’s eye view of 

American energy production in the world’s most prolific shale but 

not quite the biggest yet but the most prolific, the Barnett Shale. 

My statutory obligation as an elected official who is, in fact, very, 

very happy to be here today, Chairman, I might add, on a panel 

with these distinguished panelists, it is my obligation to protect 

private property rights of mineral owners and to see that our energy assets, oil and natural gas, are not wasted. 
18 

As a steward of Texas’s energy resources I am also a steward of 

the environment. As an elected official I am accountable to the people, and I must have a targeted focus and particular sensitivity to 

protecting public health and public safety. 

The regulation of oil and gas activities including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling but not limited to that, fall under the 

jurisdiction of the states, and we are doing a good job in this arena. 

The state-centered approach assures a win-win for citizens, industry, and the environment. Part of that win-win is increased energy 

security for America. When we produce more oil and gas in America, we import less. By putting the newest technologies to work for 

us across the Nation, we increase our domestic supply of oil and 

natural gas, and it can be quantified. 

Last month the U.S. Energy Information Agency reported that 

natural gas imports to America declined in 2010, for the third consecutive year. Over the past 4–1/2 years we have cut our reliance 

on imported natural gas by a third. 

So what happened? America’s shale gas production more than 

tripled from 2007, to 2010. The point is this. Producing more of our 

own resources really does mean energy security for our country, 

and I mean, if that is—these facts are not a definition of that energy security, I don’t know what is. 

The good news is the American people have a reliable energy 

source we can call our own, and we have it because the technologies developed in America, by Americans, and I might add that 

was primarily right there in the Barnett Shale field today, in the 

last 20 years, this technology is making it possible. 

The bad news is the current proliferation of misrepresentation 

and myths regarding this proven technology, and I am talking 

about hydraulic fracturing, the subject of today’s Committee hearing. It is a technology that generates American jobs and lowers energy costs for American consumers, and it has the potential to fuel 

the economic recovery of this country. 

It would be a travesty if the mistruths succeeded in driving up 

energy costs and forcing Americans to abandon the most promising 

and prolific energy source to come along in 100 years, natural gas. 

The truth is that all Americans benefit mightily from hydraulic 

fracturing and the horizontal drilling that is going on and the oil 

because it is also producing oil and natural gas resources produced. 

There are those, unfortunately, who are willing to undermine 

this technological innovation by raising false specters of environmental hazards and unsafe drinking water. Americans deserve better. Americans deserve the truth, not a fractured fairytale. I will 

tell you right now. As an elected official of the State of Texas, not 

once has a case of groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing ever been confirmed by the Railroad Commission of Texas. 

For fracturing fluid or the natural gas or oil to affect the water 

table in Texas, those substances would have to migrate upwards of 

thousands of feet of rock, sometimes even miles. It is simply geologically impossible. The stories of environmental damage or contaminated drinking water from hydraulic fracturing are simply untrue. You have a better chance frankly of hitting the moon with a 

Roman candle than fracturing into fresh water zones by hydraulic 

fracturing shale rock. 
19 

Furthermore, I believe it is morally wrong to deprive Americans 

of the benefit of their God-given natural energy resources because 

a few special interest Grimm Brothers insist on perpetrating fairytales. If the EPA falls victim to this disinformation and institutes 

the new regulations that are being considered today, over half our 

oil and natural gas wells would be eliminated. Nearly 200,000 barrels of oil per day, 245 billion cubic feet of natural gas a year would 

stay buried in the ground. The Federal Government would lose billions, up to $4 billion supposedly in revenue, states could lose $785 

million in revenue, not to mention the lost jobs. 

I appreciate the opportunity to be here today. You can tell that 

I do have an opinion on this subject, and I am glad to be able to 

share it and will look forward to the questions. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mrs. Ames Jones follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF MRS. ELIZABETH AMES JONES, COMMISSIONER, TEXAS

RAILROAD COMMISSION

Introduction 

The regulation of oil and gas exploration and production activities, including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling falls within the jurisdiction of the states. 

The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) has been regulating the mining of hydrocarbons for 100 years. The Commission no longer over sees the rail industry. 

Texas is the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the country. From the drill 

bit to the burner tip, the oversight of the oil and natural gas industries that operate 

in Texas, including the responsibility to prevent and to abate surface and ground 

water pollution related to oil and gas development in state lands and waters, falls 

under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas. With over one million 

wells drilled, the RRC is responsible for more oil and gas wells than any other entity in the nation. Currently, 45% of all the rigs running in the United States of 

America are in Texas. Market forces and the introduction of new technologies developed in Texas, like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, made shale gas production profitable in the 1990s. Since then, Texas’ natural gas production has increased more than 50 percent. Never in this period has hydraulic fracturing been 

a contributor to groundwater contamination. 

The Railroad Commission of Texas and Hydraulic Fracturing 

The RRC’s regulatory framework for well construction and water protection, 

which extends well beyond just hydraulic fracturing, protects surface water and 

groundwater in a very effective manner. Like other aspects of our comprehensive 

regulatory framework that covers virtually all oil and gas activities, our regulatory 

practices addressing hydraulic fracturing are the culmination of over 50 years of experience. The recent expansion in hydraulic fracturing activity in the Barnett Shale 

produced more than 13,000 gas wells. Even with such a dramatic increase in activity, not once has Texas experienced a case of groundwater contamination caused by 

hydraulic fracturing. I do not know of a single reported case of contamination nationwide. 

The Texas regulatory framework emphasizes well construction with multiple layers of protection for groundwater. Our inspectors conduct thousands of inspections 

and tests annually to ensure regulatory compliance. 

Protection of water resources that can be used for human consumption should be 

of the utmost importance to every community, and it certainly is to the RRC. The 

location and depth of the underground strata from which that water is taken is very 

important when discussing hydraulic fracturing. While those depths vary regionally, 

in Texas the strata from which water to be used for human consumption is generally thousands of feet, perhaps miles, above the targeted formations during the 

hydraulic fracturing process. For example, the water table can extend to a depth of 

1000 feet in some areas of the Barnett Shale. The horizontal lateral pipes are located more than one and a half miles below the surface. 

Additionally, the volumes of fluids other than water that are being injected must 

also be kept in mind. Water typically makes up more than 99% of the liquids in 

fracturing fluid; e.g., the percentage of non-H2O compounds may be approximately 

0.05% in a job utilizing 5 million gallons of water. 

Cooperation among governmental agencies is a necessity to successfully ensure 

environmental mitigation. Before permitting a well for hydraulic fracturing, we 
20 

must receive certification from our sister agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), that identifies where the location and depths of groundwater must be protected by cement and steel casing. TCEQ geologists and hydrologists evaluate the well logs from previous wells in the area around any proposed 

well to determine the required depth of surface casing to ensure the protection of 

fresh water formations. An operator must obtain this certification from the TCEQ 

and must present it to the RRC before we will even consider issuing a drilling permit. In every new well, the RRC requires that heavy steel surface casing extend beyond the deepest fresh water formation. Surface casing must be pressure tested for 

leakage before restarting drilling activity as an additional safeguard. 

Whether it is fracturing fluid, oil or natural gas, to affect the usable quality of 

water, those substances would have to migrate upward through thousands of feet 

of rock. That is physically impossible. For produced water that is recovered at the 

surface from the well to contaminate fresh water formations, a leak in the heavy 

steel surface casing and a breach of the other protections would have to occur. There 

is no evidence or history of that ever occurring in Texas. 

Interstate Coordination 

Since the regulations of these activities fall under the states’ jurisdiction, it is essential for oil and gas producing states to work cooperatively and to share information. The RRC actively participates in the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), the national Groundwater Protection Council (GWPC), and STRONGER (State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations). The RRC is 

proud to state that our Chief Geologist was the chair of the STRONGER workgroup 

that developed their guidelines for hydraulic fracturing. Our staff may be some of 

the most talented available today. 

Participation with the GWPC and the IOGCC led to the initiation of a national 

registry to voluntarily disclose the chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing. Our 

heavy involvement with the GWPC and the IOGCC led to the development of the 

website-FracFocus. This coordinated effort worked closely with producers and service companies to develop a format allowing the submission of well and chemical 

data. Many of the active shale gas producers have stated their intent to provide this 

information, and numerous regional and national oil and gas associations have endorsed the project. 

STRONGER was initially directed to review state drilling fluids and produced 

water management. This purview was expanded in 2010 to address hydraulic fracturing regulations in response to public concerns. As stated above, the RRC was 

heavily involved in that process. Since then, STRONGER has conducted reviews in 

multiple states. These reviews provide significant benefits to the states demonstrating the effectiveness of regulatory programs by bringing in experts from 

across the nation to identify possible regulatory improvements. Some of these experts are RRC employees. STRONGER reviews demonstrate in a clear and public 

process that state programs are sound and effective. Our program is sound and effective. 

Risk Management and Drinking Water 

The best avenue to risk management is concentrated and prudently developed experience. The history of hydraulic fracturing goes back decades. It was first commercially employed in 1948. As many of you know, the Safe Drinking Water Act 

(SDWA) was enacted in 1974 to protect public water. Hydraulic fracturing had been 

commercially utilized for 25 years at that time, and the SDWA never considered it 

as an issue. For the next 22 years the SDWA was debated and amended only twice, 

and both times hydraulic fracturing was never discussed. In 1997, a court case, 

Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF) vs. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA), brought the process of hydraulic fracturing into question without considering any legislative history or environmental impacts. 

In 2002, for the first time ever, the EPA released a draft study on hydraulic fracturing concluding the process does not pose a risk to drinking water. To lay the 

alarm to rest, the US House passed the bipartisan 2005 Energy Bill clarifying that 

Congress never intended for hydraulic fracturing to be regulated under the SDWA. 

Only recently has there been a growing impetus to further regulate the fracturing 

process even though over 50 years of history record no harm to drinking water from 

the process. And, for over those 50 years, the RRC has cautiously, expeditiously and 

thoroughly monitored the process and collected data while upholding our goals to 

protect public health and safety and to prevent the waste of our mineral assets. 

Through our many years of experience with the hydraulic fracturing process, we 

have developed a reliable regulatory framework based on sound science, technical 

expertise and common sense. The RRC regulations address pad site surface oper-
21 

ations, water use and wastewater disposal/storage, casing requirements and injection procedures. Any state experiencing the economic blessings of shale developments concerned with acquiring appropriate regulatory schemes should look to 

Texas. 

A very important aspect of being a regulator is managing complaints and properly 

conducting inspections by competent geologists, engineers and other scientists to ensure regulatory policies are upheld and enforced. At the RRC, handling complaints 

is one of the most critical functions of our Field Operations section. Frequently, responsible industry participants will notify us of bad operators in an attempt to avoid 

the industry-wide problems and publicity caused by irresponsible oil and gas operators. 

Once a complaint is received and a docket is assigned, an initial inspection is 

made with or without the complainant. This inspection is immediate in the case of 

imminent danger due to pollution or a threat to public health. Both parties, the 

complainant and the respondent, are entitled to our inspection report to ensure 

transparency and due process. 

Once the field personnel are deployed to investigate a contamination, they utilize 

a variety of procedures to confirm if contamination exists, what the source is, and 

how to eliminate the source and to initiate clean up if necessary. To make this determination, field staff collects water samples from the well and other water wells 

in the area for testing and comparison analysis. They also collect samples of produced water from oil or gas wells within a quarter-mile of the subject water well. 

Bacteriological samples are forwarded to the local health department, and the surrounding area approximately a quarter-mile from where the subject water well is 

inspected. This area inspection includes an investigation into disposal or injection 

wells, oil and gas storage and treatment facilities, both current and abandoned pits, 

flow-lines, evidence of past leaks or spills, any creeks and streams, and any other 

situation that may shed light on a possible contamination. If a water contamination 

is verified, the case is sent to the Site Remediation division for clean up efforts. If 

enforcement action is necessary, our Office of General Counsel pursues the necessary filings. 

A recent case of interest where the RRC applied these sound principles and due 

process is the situation in which the EPA alleged that natural gas from a well operated by Range Resources, a Texas-based company, migrated into water wells in 

North Texas. Our Commission field staff fully vetted the area and sent those investigative reports to our administrative hearings’ examiners to either confirm a contamination had occurred and if so then to determine the source. After weeks of technical and legal investigations and the presentation of arguments in keeping with the 

Administrative Procedures Act, my fellow commissioners and I ruled there was no 

evidence of natural gas contamination attributed to Range Resources. We are confident in our ruling, and we stand behind the RRC process. This case exemplifies 

the RRC’s success in properly regulating the Texas energy industry, which regulation includes making decisions based on sound science and accepted and approved 

testing methods, while ensuring that mineral interest owners can enjoy the monetary benefit of their property ownership and that the state benefits accordingly. 

EPA’s Draft Plan 

The EPA’s original charge was not to study the ‘‘full life cycle’’ of an oil and gas 

well, inclusive of all oil and gas exploration and production activity such as site selection and development, production, storage and transportation, all of which are 

unrelated to hydraulic fracturing. EPA’s own Science Advisory Board rightfully concluded that the scope of the study should be restricted, at least initially, to researching sources and pathways of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on water 

resources. The RRC submitted comments on the draft plan a month and a half ago. 

We concur with the EPA’s Science Advisory Board and believe that the scope of the 

draft plan remains broader than that which Congress may have intended. This 

raises concerns of scope creep. 

Our two main concerns about the EPA’s study are that it proposes to delve into 

areas beyond the reach of federal law and that it also proposes to study areas beyond the practice of hydraulic fracturing. Specifically, the EPA now includes a study 

of how water withdrawals might impact water availability and water quality. Water 

availability and water withdrawal have historically been the issues of state law, and 

we believe is beyond the reach of federal law and regulation. In addition, the EPA 

proposes to study the potential impacts of spills, containment, treatment, and disposal of wastewaters resulting from hydraulic fracturing. There is no need for the 

EPA to enter into these issues since there already exist controls on oil and gas activities in federal law, which include the SDWA, Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air 

Act (CAA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Furthermore, 
22 

there are a myriad of state laws and regulations actively being enforced by the 

states that care just as deeply for our state and national resources. Another federal 

study is just a waste of taxpayer money. 

The EPA has performed similar studies in the past. In the 1980s, the EPA performed an exhaustive study of oil and gas activities and wastes with respect to the 

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). There is no need for new information on the comprehensive process of oil and gas exploration and production. For 

this reason and in an effort to save time and money, we recommended the scope 

of study return to that directed by Congress-focus on practices directly associated 

with hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. With that said, I have offered the RRC and its staff as a resource to both the EPA and the Science Advisory 

Board in this endeavor to conduct an evaluation of the chemicals used in the fracturing process. Furthermore, I would eagerly join the discussion on the development 

of other alternatives, the evaluation of well construction and maintenance, evaluation of fracture development, and development of best management practices. As 

stated above, we have been doing this in Texas for over 60 years, the technology 

to advance these practices and make shale development possible was pioneered in 

Texas, and we have the most experience with the largest shale play in the nation. 

Finally, when operators complete the required RRC forms, they list the amount 

and kind of material used during hydraulic fracturing. Additionally, service companies are required by the Office of the Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to 

post on site Material Safety Data Sheets of all chemicals used on a drilling location 

for on-site employees and emergency first responders. 

Economic Generator 

Hydraulic fracturing has made the impossible possible. It allows access to oil and 

natural gas trapped in areas that were unobtainable in the past. This process is responsible for 30% of the nation’s domestically recoverable oil and natural gas. Seven 

billion barrels of oil and 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas have been recovered 

by hydraulic fracturing. 

Some say that up to 90% of wells operating today are because of hydraulic fracturing and 60–80% of new wells will need hydraulic fracturing to continue to production. 

In 2007, $226 billion was invested in domestic exploration and production. This 

is an economic generator that supports local businesses and creates American jobs. 

Royalties paid totaled $30 billion in 2007. Without delving too far into how this 

business drives up local, state and federal tax revenue, it is exciting to note that 

33 school districts in Texas are funded mostly by oil and gas dollars alone. 

If some of the new EPA regulations considered today are implemented, more than 

half our oil and natural gas wells could be eliminated. America’s production of domestic energy resources would diminish by 183,000 barrels of oil per day and 245 

billion cubic feet of natural gas annually. The Federal Government would lose $4 

billion in revenue, and the states would lose $785 million in taxes, not counting the 

additional jobs lost. 

The American Petroleum Institute engaged IHS Global Insight to study potential 

impacts of policy changes for hydraulic fracturing. They reported that all states will 

feel a decline in economic activity, but some states are more affected than others. 

The most affected will be Texas. By 2015, Texas could lose up to 364,000 jobs. These 

are jobs that paid an estimated $30,000 per job in taxes and royalties to Texas in 

2009 and provide the average oil and gas worker with a salary of about $107,000 

per year. For comparison, consider that the rest of the private sector workforce in 

Texas earns an average of $44,000 per year. The report concludes that Texas could 

experience a loss of nearly $37 billion in gross state product. The country will suffer 

when a domestic homegrown energy source is diminished. 

Texas is not the only state affected. The analysis concludes that in addition to 

Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia will suffer the largest natural gas 

production decline. Wyoming joins the aforementioned group in terms of employment and real output declines in the excess of 7%. Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, and Florida are all mentioned. And, if development does not continue in New 

York and Pennsylvania, then they will see a loss also. 

Summary 

In closing, I understand there is a broad concern in the public related to hydraulic 

fracturing. I am not here to belittle or to disregard that concern. Rather, I am here 

to provide confidence to the public that these activities can be, and in Texas are, 

safe, secure and sufficiently regulated. Furthermore, the production increase due to 

these operations is a blessing to our nation, and we should be proud of the technological innovations discovered and perfected in America, more specifically, in Texas. 
23 

There is a French delegation back in Texas meeting with RRC staff learning how 

to establish appropriate regulatory protocols for all activities related to natural gas 

production via the process of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. These foreign officials are already convinced of the benefits. These are not the only foreign 

officials to visit. In the past year, we have had numerous foreign consulates and ambassadors knocking on our door wanting to learn from our successes in Texas and 

apply our process to their respective countries. Technology is working the way it 

was intended- improving our quality of life. 

The numbers do not lie. In Texas alone, we could lose over 364,000 jobs and almost $37 billion if this practice is outlawed. The numbers for the entire country are 

even greater. The truth is that America and Texas benefit substantially due to the 

practice of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. Any stories of environmental 

damage or contamination of drinking water from hydraulic fracturing are fairy 

tales. 

From 2007 to up until last year, net imports of natural gas have decreased by 

about 1.2 trillion cubic feet. My goal as Chairman of the Railroad Commission is 

energy security for our country; a diminished reliance on imported energy of any 

kind, be it natural gas or oil. Declining imports that are a direct result of increased 

domestic supply that result from putting technology to work is the news the American people want to hear. They are sick and tired of fractured fairy tales and they 

deserve to hear the truth. Thank you for the opportunity to speak it today. 

Chairman HALL. Well, I do thank you, and at this time I recognize Dr. Robert Summers, Secretary for the Maryland Department 

of the Environment, to present his testimony. 

Dr. Summers. 

STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT M. SUMMERS, SECRETARY, 

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT 

Dr. SUMMERS. Thank you, Chairman Hall and Ranking Member 

Johnson and Congressman Sarbanes for your introduction and 

other Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to 

share Maryland’s experience and concerns with hydraulic fracturing. 

I am Bob Summers, newly-appointed Secretary of the Environment. Portions of the Marcellus Shale formation underlie Garrett 

County and part of Allegheny County in Western Maryland. In 

these two counties gas companies have leased gas rates on more 

than 100,000 acres so far. An industry representative has estimated as many as 2,200 wells could be eventually drilled on 

180,000 acres in Maryland, so obviously, we are fairly small compared to my—the previous speaker. 

But this represents about one well for every 80 acres leased, and 

Western Maryland is a very popular recreation destination for millions just living 3–1/2 hours to the east in major metropolitan 

areas, and citizens and businesses in Western Maryland are very 

concerned about the potential impact of widespread drilling. 

The Department of the Environment is the regulatory agency 

with the responsibility for permitting gas wells in the state. We 

currently have applications pending for drilling and hydraulic fracturing, but no permits have been issued at this point. We are mindful of the tremendous benefits that we just heard about that can 

accrue to the economy by exploring and developing our gas reserves. 

At the same time we have observed events in Pennsylvania during the first few years of drilling there, and we are equally alert 

to the potential adverse impacts on public health and the environment. 
24 

As a result, we are proceeding in a cautious and deliberative 

manner. We have issued no permits, and we do not intend to allow 

drilling and fracking in Maryland until the issues are resolved to 

our satisfaction. There are numerous issues that must be addressed 

before Maryland can conclude whether and how drilling in 

Marcellus Shale can be done safely. There include the adequacy 

and sustainability of regional surface water and groundwater supplies needed for fracking, minimum requirements for constructing, 

casing, cementing, integrity testing of wells, installing and testing 

blow-out prevention equipment, potential migration of gas from the 

well, including migration from induced or naturally-occurring 

faults and fractures. Toxicity transport and fate of fracking fluid, 

proper handling and disposal of naturally-occurring radioactive materials, best practices for managing and disposing of flowback, drilling mud and drill cuttings, the need for refracturing, its potential 

effect on well integrity, measures to control air pollution, including 

greenhouse gas emissions and ozone production. 

We are also concerned about impacts to aquatic ecosystems, habitat fragmentation, introduction or spread of invasive species, and 

damage to wetlands and streams from access roads, drill pads, 

gathering lines, and ancillary operations. Not to mention increased 

truck traffic, public safety, and emergency response services. 

We anticipate moving forward in two stages. First, during the 

next year to 18 months we will survey existing practices, select 

best practices for drilling and fracking of wells. The Department 

will consider permits for a small number of exploratory wells to be 

drilled and fracked in the Marcellus Shale using these standards 

and cites eligible for these exploratory wells must be those who 

would present minimum risks to human health and the environment. 

The permits will be conditioned on the company’s commitment to 

collect and share data with the state regarding all aspects of the 

drilling and fracking process, monitoring of wastes, monitoring of 

surface and groundwater quality in the zone of influence and the 

risks and adequacy of best practices. 

Second, we will use the data from these wells, along with the results of other research as it becomes available, to evaluate the environmental viability of gas production from the Marcellus Shale in 

Maryland. This phase will focus on long-term and cumulative risks, 

including landscape level effects like I mentioned with forest fragmentation. If we determine that gas production can be accomplished without unreasonable risks, the Department would then 

make decisions on applications for production wells. 

We are also concerned about the impact on our waters and citizens from drilling and fracturing-associated activities in nearby 

states. We are, in fact, pleased that EPA Region 3 has recently 

taken a more active role in overseeing drilling operations. The region has provided guidance on important issues such as the need 

to reopen discharge permits of facilities that treat Marcellus Shale 

fracking water and to initiate monitoring to ensure drinking water 

supplies are not impacted by the discharge of the treated waste 

water. 

We need the Federal Government to take an active role in studying, providing technical support to the state. We commend Con-
25 

gress for directing EPA to conduct research to examine the relationship between hydro fracking and drinking water resources, and 

while we firming believe the states need to retain the authority to 

enact more stringent requirements, the Federal Regulatory floor 

would ensure at least basic protection of the environment and public health. 

Interstate waters such as the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers, 

Chesapeake Bay, are critical resources to all of the jurisdictions in 

the region and provide drinking water for millions of people. We 

need to ensure that these critical water supplies are protected, and 

toward that end existing federal regulatory exemptions for oil and 

gas drilling activities should be re-examined. In this regard we support Fracturing Responsibility Awareness of Chemicals Act, H.R. 

1084, which was introduced by Representative DeGette and cosponsored by Representatives Sarbanes, Tonko, and Woolsey, 

among others. This would reinstate regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and we think this is an 

important step. 

The states need the Federal Government to provide guidance and 

to lend its resources to this effort. We have a strong federal-state 

partnership in Maryland with EPA and EPA Region 3 to protect 

our public health, safety, the environment, and natural resources. 

And we need to maintain this. None of us have the resources we 

need by ourselves to deal with these very complex issues, and it is 

important that we have a strong team approach. 

Thank you for taking the initiative to inquire about this important issue. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Summers follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT SUMMERS, SECRETARY FOR THE MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

‘‘Hydraulic Fracturing Technology and Practices’’—Major Points 

Portions of the Marcellus Shale formation underlie Garrett County and part of Allegany County in western Maryland. We are mindful of the benefits that could accrue to the economy, but we are equally alert to potential impacts on public health 

and the environment. 

Maryland has issued no permits for exploration or production of gas in the 

Marcellus Shale, and we do not intend to do so until the legitimate issues are resolved to our satisfaction. Among the most important are these: 

• Construction standards for wells and pads; 

• Testing standards for well integrity and blowout prevention devices; 

• The potential for migration of gas from the well; 

• The toxicity, transport and fate of fracking fluid that remain underground; 

• The proper handling and disposal of flowback and other liquid wastes; 

• Control of air emissions, including greenhouse gases and ozone; and 

• Landscape level impacts such as habitat fragmentation, introduction or spread 

of invasive species, and damage to wetlands and streams from access roads, 

drill pads, gathering lines, and ancillary operations. 

Maryland proposes to move forward in stages: 

• Identify best practices for on site operations from site selection through 

fracking, and develop model permit provisions; 

• Allow a small number of exploratory wells to be drilled and fracked in order 

to obtain data; 

• Depending on the results, these wells may then be permitted to produce gas; 

and 
26 

• Use the information obtained from the exploratory wells, and other available information, to complete the evaluation of issues, and decide whether and how to 

proceed with permitting. 

We need the Federal Government to take an active role in studying, providing 

technical support to States and assisting the States in regulating activities such as 

deep drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and waste disposal. 

• The EPA draft Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan is a good start, but there are 

important areas it does not address. 

• With sufficient direction, States could collect monitoring data and data about 

drilling and fracking that EPA could use in its study. 

• A federal regulatory ‘‘floor’’ would be helpful, especially given the interstate nature of the surface and groundwater. 

• Existing federal regulations that exclude oil and gas drilling wastes from coverage should be reexamined. 

‘‘Hydraulic Fracturing Technology and Practices’’ 

Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Johnson and honorable members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to share Maryland’s experience and concerns 

with hydraulic fracturing. 

The Marcellus Shale in Maryland 

In these two counties, gas companies have leased the gas rights on more than 

100,000 acres. The Department of the Environment is the regulatory agency with 

responsibility for permitting gas wells in the State. We currently have applications 

pending for drilling and hydraulic fracturing (‘‘fracking’’) in the Marcellus Shale 

from two companies for a total of five wells. An industry representative has estimated that as many as 1,600 wells could be drilled in 128,000 acres in Garrett 

County and another 637 wells in 51,000 drillable acres in Allegany County. We are 

mindful of the tremendous benefits that could accrue to the economy by exploring 

and developing our gas reserves. Lease payments, royalties, and in Garrett County, 

severance taxes, and the economic activity associated with drilling-related jobs could 

bring significant economic benefits to these western counties. At the same time, we 

have observed events in Pennsylvania during the first few years of drilling there, 

and we are equally alert to potential adverse impacts on public health and the environment. Our paramount concern is protecting our ground and surface waters. As 

a result, we are proceeding in a cautious and deliberative manner. We have issued 

no permits, and we do not intend to allow drilling and fracking in Maryland until 

the issues are resolved to our satisfaction. 

Environmental, Public Health and Public Safety Concerns 

There are numerous issues that must be addressed before Maryland can conclude 

whether and how drilling in the Marcellus Shale can be done safely. They include: 

• minimum requirements for constructing, casing and cementing wells 

• minimum requirements for integrity testing of wells 

• minimum requirements for installing and testing blowout prevention equipment 

• the potential migration of gas from the well, including migration from induced 

or naturally occurring faults and fractures 

• the toxicity, transport and fate of fracking fluid 

• proper handling and disposal of naturally occurring radioactive materials 

• best practices for managing and disposing of flowback 

• best practices for managing and disposing of drilling mud and drill cuttings 

• best practices for containment and management of fuels and other liquids 

• air pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions and ozone production 

• re-fracturing and its potential effect on well integrity 

• habitat fragmentation, introduction or spread of invasive species, and damage 

to wetlands and streams from access roads, drill pads, gathering lines, and ancillary operations 

• other impacts to aquatic ecosystems, including stream sedimentation from damaged roads and dust from truck traffic 

• the adequacy and sustainability of regional surface water and ground water 

supplies needed for fracking 

• public safety and emergency response services 
27 

1We will survey information from other states, but we note that there are regional differences 

in geology, climate, and formation composition that may limit the applicability of some methods 

in Maryland. For example, disposal of wastewater in underground injection wells, common in 

some areas, may not be feasible in Maryland. 

Additional research and study is needed in each of these areas in order to be fully 

protective of public health and safety and the environment. 

Maryland Legislation 

Public interest and concern brought the issue of Marcellus Shale drilling to the 

attention of Maryland legislature this year, which recently concluded its 90-day session. One bill was introduced to accelerate the issuance of drilling permits, another 

to place the burden on each applicant for a permit to demonstrate the safety of drilling and fracking, and another to require a study before permits could be issued. The 

Governor and the Department supported a bill to require the State to perform a 

comprehensive study of short-term, long-term and cumulative effects of hydraulic 

fracturing, to be paid for by those gas companies holding leases in Maryland. None 

of the bills passed. 

How the Maryland Department of the Environment Proposes to Proceed 

We anticipate moving forward in two stages. First, during the next year to 18 

months, we will survey existing practices 1and select ‘‘Best Practices’’ for the drilling 

and fracking of wells. These Best Practices will cover all aspects of site preparation 

and design, delivery and management of materials, drilling, casing, cementing and 

fracking. After we develop this interim ‘‘gold standard’’ the Department will consider issuing permits for a small number of exploratory wells to be drilled and 

fracked in the Marcellus Shale using these standards. Sites eligible for these exploratory well permits must present minimum risks to human health and the environment. The permits will be conditioned on the company’s commitment to collect and 

share data with the State regarding all aspects of the drilling and fracking process, 

monitoring of waste produced, monitoring of surface and ground water quality in 

the zone of influence of the operation and any other information needed to advance 

our understanding of the risks and the adequacy of the Best Practices. 

Second, we will use the data from these exploratory wells, along with the results 

of other research as it becomes available, to evaluate the environmental viability of 

gas production from the Marcellus Shale in Maryland. This phase will focus on longterm and cumulative risks, and include landscape level effects like forest fragmentation. If we determine that gas production can be accomplished without unreasonable 

risk to human health and the environment, the Department could then make decisions on applications for production wells. Permit conditions would be drafted to reflect Best Practices and avoid environmental harm. At this time, we have not identified a source of funding for this work. 

Maryland is also concerned about the impact on its own waters and citizens from 

drilling and hydraulic fracturing and associated activities in nearby states. Pennsylvania has experienced incidents of well blowouts and releases of flowback. It has 

been reported that inadequately treated hydraulic fracturing wastewater has been 

discharged to surface water in Pennsylvania. The potential risk to Maryland of repeated incidents in Pennsylvania, the most recent of which resulted in it release of 

flowback to a tributary of the Susquehanna River in April, prompted the Attorney 

General of Maryland to send a notice letter to the companies involved in the April 

release, asserting Maryland’s right to bring a citizen suit for injunctive relief and 

civil penalties under the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). 

The Need for Federal Leadership 

We need the Federal Government to take an active role in studying, providing 

technical support to States and assisting the States in regulating activities such as 

deep drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and waste disposal. In the absence of a strong federal regulatory program, the burden of assuring that wells can 

be safely drilled and hydraulically fractured in the Marcellus Shale falls on the 

states individually. 

We commend Congress for directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

to conduct research to examine the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and 

drinking water resources. EPA’s Office of Research and Development has developed 

a solid, comprehensive plan for this study; however, we note that some important 

issues are beyond the scope of the study, including re-fracturing, and impacts to air 

quality and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These issues also need to be studied. 

At EPA’s request, the Science Advisory Board (SAB) is reviewing the study plan. 

Preliminary indications are that the SAB recognizes the importance of the study, 
28 

as well as the challenges posed by the limited budget and time frame. It may suggest a narrowing of the focus of the study, but also additional research activities. 

Among those mentioned that Maryland considers to be of critical importance are: 

identifying best practices for well construction and whether those practices protect 

public water supply; and evaluating the potential release of contaminants to underground sources of drinking water through naturally occurring or induced faults. 

While the states should retain the authority to enact more stringent requirements, a federal regulatory ‘‘floor’’ would ensure at least basic protection of the environment and public health. Federal regulation is particularly important given the 

interstate nature of surface and ground waters and the fact that states do not have 

jurisdiction over out-of-state drilling and fracking activities, even when those activities could have significant impacts on water quality in neighboring states. Interstate 

waters such as the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, are 

critical resources to all of the jurisdictions in the region. 

Existing regulatory exemptions for oil and gas drilling activities should be re-examined. For example, gas and oil exploration and production wastes are currently 

excluded from RCRA Subtitle C regulation. The Clean Water Act was amended to 

expand the regulatory exemption for stormwater runoff to cover all oil and gas field 

activities and operations, not just uncontaminated stormwater runoff from certain 

operations. The injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids is excluded from the Safe 

Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Program. In this regard, we support 

the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, H.R. 1084, which 

was introduced on March 15, 2011, by Representative DeGette and co-sponsored by 

Representatives Sarbanes, Tonko and Woolsey, among others. The Bill would reinstate regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act and require the person conducting hydraulic fracturing operations to disclose to the government all of the chemical constituents used in hydraulic fracturing. This is a positive step forward. Under the bill, however, proprietary chemical formulas could still 

be protected from public disclosure, and we encourage a reexamination of the scope 

of protection for proprietary information. The public has an important interest in 

knowing what chemicals are being injected underground. 

We note also that Region III of the EPA has recently taken a more active role 

in overseeing drilling operations in the Marcellus Shale. It provided guidance on important issues, such as the need to reopen the discharge permits of facilities that 

treat Marcellus Shale fracking wastewater, and to initiate monitoring to ensure that 

drinking water supplies are not being impacted by the discharge of the treated 

wastewater. More recently, following a release of fracking fluid at the Chesapeake 

Energy gas well in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, EPA Region III used its authority under the Clean Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (commonly called Superfund), and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to require Chesapeake Energy to provide information 

and documents regarding the release, including the exact chemical identity of each 

constituent in the fracking fluid. 

We are also encouraged by President Obama’s ‘‘Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future,’’ which he announced on March 30. In particular, we welcome the plan to have 

the Energy Advisory Board establish a subcommittee to identify immediate steps 

that can be taken to improve the safety and environmental performance of fracking 

and to develop consensus recommendations for federal agencies on practices that 

will ensure the protection of public health and the environment. Secretary of Energy 

Chu named the group on May 5. The planned establishment by DOE and EPA of 

a mechanism to provide technical assistance to states to assess the adequacy of existing state regulations is also welcome. 

The states need the Federal Government to provide guidance and to lend its resources to the effort. We need a strong state-federal partnership. Timing and other 

factors probably preclude using an exploratory well in Maryland for one of the prospective case studies planned for the EPA study, but we hope that EPA will provide 

expanded guidance on the study plan for the prospective case study so that Maryland can gather the most relevant data, if a permit is issued for an exploratory well. 

We would also welcome the technical assistance of the US Geological Survey in determining what to monitor in the process of drilling and fracking wells for exploration, and in analyzing the data we obtain. A compilation of Best Practices and, 

until the EPA study can’ better delineate the subsurface zone that is potentially impacted by hydraulic fracturing activities, preliminary guidance on the proper spatial 

area for monitoring, would also be helpful. Lastly, we urge EPA to develop water 

quality criteria for conductivity (specific to chemical species), dissolved solids and 

salinity in freshwater, as well as pretreatment standards for fracking flowback that 

is protective of drinking water supplies and the health of the citizens who rely upon 

those supplies. 
29 

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other groups have filed a petition with the 

Federal Government for a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to address the risks and cumulative impacts of the extraction of natural gas from the 

Marcellus Shale formation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We support the goal 

of a comprehensive assessment, and we note that portions of the Marcellus Shale 

lie to the west of the Eastern Continental Divide, and that the environment outside 

the Chesapeake Bay watershed deserves protection, too. 

Thank you for taking the initiative to inquire into this important issue and for 

the opportunity to share Maryland’s perspective. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you, sir. 

I now recognize Mr. Harold Fitch, Board Member of the Groundwater Protection Council, for five minutes to present his testimony. 

STATEMENT OF MR. HAROLD FITCH, MICHIGAN STATE GEOLOGIST, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF GEOLOGICAL STUDY, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, AND 

BOARD MEMBER, GROUNDWATER PROTECTION COUNCIL 

Mr. FITCH. Good morning, Chairman Hall and Members of the 

Committee. I appreciate the opportunity to be here this morning. 

In addition to my role as head of Michigan’s Regulatory Agency for 

Oil and Gas and my role on the Board of Directors with the GWPC, 

I serve as Governor Snyder’s official representative to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, and I am chair of the 

IOGCC Shale Gas Director’s Task Force. I also serve on the Board 

of Directors of State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental 

Regulations Incorporated or STRONGER. STRONGER has conducted focused reviews of state hydraulic fracturing regulations in 

four states over the past year. 

I would like to talk first about regulation of hydraulic fracturing 

by the states. Hydraulic fracturing has been utilized throughout 

the United States for more than 60 years, and the states have a 

long history of successful regulation of the practice. I would say in 

contrast to Maryland, Michigan has a longstanding regulatory program for oil and gas. We go back to about 1925. We feel we have 

a very good handle on hydraulic fracturing, as well as the other oil 

and gas issues out there, and we believe that the states are the 

proper place to retain that regulatory oversight. 

In Michigan we have more than 12,000 wells that have been hydraulically fractured. We don’t have one instance of groundwater 

contamination resulting from the practice. 

The recent development of deep shale gas formations has raised 

concern in Michigan and other states over about five issues which 

I would like to address in turn. 

The first issue is migration of gas or fracture fluids. There has 

been a few recent incidents of gas migration into aquifers in other 

states, but the cause has been well construction problems and not 

hydraulic fracturing itself. In fact, there are no cases of hydraulic 

fracturing directly causing gas or fluids to migrate into fresh water 

zones. The keys to preventing migration of gas or fluids are proper 

casing and sealing of oil and gas wells and proper plugging of 

abandoned wells. 

The second issue is water use. A fractured treatment of a typical 

shale gas well may require three million gallons of water or more. 

To put that in perspective, three million gallons is about the volume of water used by five or six acres of corn in a year. The states 
30 

have the regulatory tools to address the issue in a manner tailored 

to their specific needs and legal structures. In Michigan we require 

application of a web-based water withdrawal assessment tool to 

evaluate those large withdrawals. 

Third issue is management of flowback water. After fractures are 

created in the reservoir rock, 25 to 75 percent of that fracturing 

fluid is recovered as flowback. In Michigan and many other states 

flowback water is transported to licensed deep disposal wells where 

it is isolated from the environment. In some states flowback water 

may be hauled to wastewater treatment plants where it is treated 

and discharged into surface waters. There have been a few cases 

where that has caused legitimate concerns over water quality impacts. 

The fourth issue is surface spills. As with any industrial operation, there is a potential for accidental spills or releases related 

to hydraulic fracturing. However, the states have requirements in 

place to minimize the risk of spills, to reduce their impacts, including secondary containment, spill reporting, and cleanup criteria. 

And finally, the fifth issue is identification of chemical additives. 

A growing number of public interest groups are advocating for public disclosure of chemical additives used in hydraulic fracturing 

fluids. Federal law requires posting of material safety data sheets 

that provide information on hazardous chemicals and their potential health and environmental impacts. While the identities of some 

chemicals are protected under federal laws and trade secrets, we 

believe that the material safety data sheets provide enough information to respond to and track spills. 

Next I would like to talk about the Groundwater Protection 

Council actions to address hydraulic fracturing. The GWPC has 

been engaged on the issue for some time and has published two 

very relevant reports on shale gas and state regulations to protect 

water resources. Last September the GWPC in cooperation with 

the IOGCC began development of a national registry of chemicals 

used in hydraulic fracturing. The result is a website called Frac 

Focus, www.fracfocus.org, launched on April 11. The website gives 

the public and regulators access to comprehensive information on 

chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing for individual wells nationwide. 

The website also contains other useful information on hydraulic 

fracturing. Within its first month of operation 40 companies had 

agreed to participate, and information on more than 450 wells had 

been loaded into the system. 

Michigan and other states are encouraging the industry to 

upload data to the Frac Focus website, and several states are considering using Frac Focus as part of future rule changes. 

Finally, let me comment on the pending U.S. EPA study. While 

we believe the states have adequate programs, authority, and expertise for regulating hydraulic fracturing, we also acknowledge 

the potential benefits of a review by the EPA, particularly in light 

of the intense controversy surrounding the subject. 

We appreciate the EPA’s pledge to work with the states, GWPC, 

and other stakeholders in conducting a study, and we are committed to upholding our respective roles. 
31 

We do, however, have some concern with the scope of the draft 

study plan. The plan calls for addressing a broad range of questions, including the fracturing process itself, water withdrawals, releases of fracturing fluids and flowback water, and treatment of 

wastewaters. We are concerned that the study would cover general 

oil and gas practices that are not specific to hydraulic fracturing, 

and in addition, the broad scope of the study as proposed would 

make it difficult to produce a timely report. 

EPA’s Science Advisory Board has urged the agency to focus on 

waste discharges, and we agreed with that recommendation. 

In conclusion, the states and GWPC are committed to dealing 

with the issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing and to supporting 

a focused study by the EPA. 

Thank you, again, for the opportunity to appear here, and I 

would be glad to entertain any questions the Committee may have. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Fitch follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF MR. HAROLD FITCH, MICHIGAN STATE GEOLOGIST, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF GEOLOGICAL STUDY, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

QUALITY, AND BOARD MEMBER, GROUNDWATER PROTECTION COUNCIL

SUMMARY

I am representing the State of Michigan and the Groundwater Protection Council, 

or GWPC. I am the Director of the Office of Geological Survey (OGS) of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and a member of the Board of Directors 

of the GWPC. 

I want to discuss the experience in regulating hydraulic fracturing in Michigan 

as well as other states, the GWPC’s role in addressing some of the controversies surrounding the technique, and the study that is underway by the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA). 

Hydraulic fracturing has been utilized throughout the United States for more 

than 60 years, and the states have a long history of successful regulation of the 

practice. Recent concerns center on five issues: (1) migration of gas or fracture 

fluids, (2) water use, (3) management of produced water, (4) surface spills, and (5) 

disclosure of chemical additives. I will discuss each in turn. 

The GWPC has been engaged on the issue of hydraulic fracturing for some time, 

and has published two very relevant reports on shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing. On April the GWPC launched a website called Frac Focus. The 

website gives the public and regulators access to comprehensive information on 

chemical use in hydraulically-fractured wells nationwide and contains much additional information about hydraulic fracturing and related issues. It is already getting extensive use. 

We support in principle the U.S. EPA ‘‘Draft Plan to Study the Potential Impacts 

of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources.’’ While we believe the states 

have adequate programs and authority for regulating hydraulic fracturing and a 

very good understanding of the technology and its potential for impacts, we also acknowledge the potential benefits of a review by the EPA in light of the intense controversy surrounding the subject. The states and GWPC are committed to providing 

all pertinent information and other support to the EPA in conducting the study, although we do have some concern with the scope and timing. 

TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, 

AND TECHNOLOGY 

Good morning Chairman Hall and members of the Subcommittee. My name is 

Harold Fitch. I am here today representing the State of Michigan and the Groundwater Protection Council, or GWPC. I am the Director of the Office of Geological 

Survey (OGS) of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and have 

served in that capacity for the past 15 years. The OGS is charged with regulating 

oil, gas, and mineral exploration and production operations in Michigan. The 

Ground Water Protection Council is a national association of state ground water and 

underground injection control agencies whose mission is to promote the protection 
32 

and conservation of ground water resources. I am a member of the Board of Directors of the GWPC. 

I am also involved in two other organizations that play prominent roles in hydraulic fracturing issues: the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, or IOGCC, 

and State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc., or 

STRONGER. 

The IOGCC is an organization chartered by Congress that represents the governors of more than 30 oil and gas producing states. Its mission is to conserve domestic oil and gas resources while ensuring environmental protection. I am Michigan’s Official Representative to the IOGCC, and I serve as Chair of the IOGCC 

Shale Gas Directors’ Task Force. 

STRONGER is a non-profit organization representing states, industry, and public 

interest groups whose purpose is evaluate state oil and gas regulatory programs 

against a set of established guidelines. I serve on the Board of Directors of 

STRONGER. Over the past year we have conducted focused reviews of state hydraulic fracturing requirements for Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. 

I appreciate this opportunity to address you on the important issue of hydraulic 

fracturing. I want to talk briefly about the experience in regulating hydraulic fracturing in Michigan as well as other states, the GWPC’s role in addressing some of 

the controversies surrounding the technique, and the study that is underway by the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Regulation of Hydraulic Fracturing by the States 

Hydraulic fracturing has been utilized throughout the United States for more 

than 60 years, and the states have a long history of successful regulation of the 

practice. In Michigan more than 12,000 wells have been hydraulically fractured, beginning in the 1970s. Most of these are relatively shallow shale gas wells in the 

northern Lower Peninsula. More recently, there has been interest in a deeper shale 

formation that requires the drilling of long horizontal holes and larger volumes of 

fracturing fluid for effective development. It is this type of development that has 

raised concerns over hydraulic fracturing in Michigan and other states. The concerns center on five issues: (1) migration of gas or fracture fluids, (2) water use, (3) 

management of produced water, (4) surface spills, and (5) disclosure of chemical additives. Let me address each of those issues in turn. 

Migration of gas or fracture fluids. Whenever an oil and gas well is drilled 

through a fresh water aquifer there is a potential for migration of gas or other fluids 

up the well bore and into the aquifer, whether or not the oil and gas well is hydraulically fractured. There have been a few recent incidents of gas migration in other 

states, but the cause has been well construction problems and not hydraulic fracturing itself. Because of rock characteristics and the physics of the fracturing process, it is virtually impossible for an induced fracture to propagate upward into fresh 

water zones. The key to preventing migration of gas or fluids is installation of steel 

pipe, or ‘‘casing,’’ encased in cement. In addition, it is important to assure there are 

no abandoned and inadequately plugged wells in the vicinity that could constitute 

a conduit for movement of fluids or gas during a hydraulic fracturing operation or 

during subsequent production operations. The states have the regulatory tools to address these issues. 

Water use. A fracture treatment of a typical deep shale gas well may require three 

million gallons of water or more. To put this in perspective, three million gallons 

is the volume of water typically used by five to six acres of corn during a growing 

season. While water withdrawal regulations vary across the U.S., the states again 

have the regulatory tools to address the issue in a manner tailored to their specific 

needs and legal structures. In Michigan we require evaluation of large water withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing using the same methodology required of other large 

water users. 

Management of flowback water. After fractures are induced in the reservoir rock, 

pressure is released and a portion of the fracturing fluids is recovered from the well. 

The recovered fluid is termed ‘‘flowback.’’ It typically constitutes 25 to 75 percent 

of the fracturing fluid originally injected. The remainder stays in the reservoir rock 

or is produced gradually along with the natural gas as ‘‘produced water.’’ In Michigan, flowback water must be contained in steel tanks and transported to licensed 

disposal wells where it is injected into deep rock layers that are isolated from fresh 

water supplies. That is at least an option in many other states. In some states 

flowback water may be hauled to wastewater treatment plants where it is treated 

and discharged into surface waters. This has raised issues with water quality because treatment plants may not be capable of removing some constituents of the 

flowback water-particularly dissolved salts that may be in the native reservoir fluids 
33 

and be mixed with the flowback. In some areas flowback water is stored and recycled. 

Surface spills. Spills of chemical additives or flowback water can have adverse environmental or public health impacts. As with any industrial operation, there is a 

potential for accidental spills or releases associated with hydraulic fracturing. However, the states have safeguards in place to minimize the risk of spills and reduce 

their impacts. Michigan requires secondary containment in areas where spills may 

be most likely, and has strict requirements for spill reporting and cleanup. 

Identification of chemical additives. A growing number of public interest groups 

are advocating for public disclosure of chemical additives used in hydraulic fracturing fluid. A few states are taking actions to require disclosure to a state regulatory agency, although not to the general public. Under federal law information on 

chemicals and potential health and environmental effects must be provided in Material Safety Data Sheets (or MSDSs), which are posted wherever the additives are 

stored, transported, or used. However, the chemical identities and concentrations of 

some of the chemicals are exempted from disclosure as trade secrets. Those details 

must be provided to medical personnel in the event of an emergency. In Michigan 

we believe the MSDSs provide enough information to respond to and track spills. 

We are working to make that information more readily available to the public. 

GWPC Actions to Address the Hydraulic Fracturing Controversy 

The GWPC has been engaged on the issue of hydraulic fracturing for some time, 

and has published two very relevant reports. The first of these reports is called 

Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer. The primer discusses the regulatory framework, policy issues, and technical aspects of shale gas 

resources and provides accurate technical information on hydraulic fracturing. 

The second report is entitled State Oil and Gas Regulations Designed to Protect 

Water Resources. The report is a comprehensive state-by-state evaluation. It concludes that state oil and gas regulations are in general adequately designed to directly protect water resources. The report also recommends consideration of flexible 

Best Management Practices; commends the STRONGER, Inc. process of reviewing 

state programs; and supports increased digitization of state data. 

Last September the GWPC began a project in cooperation with the IOGCC to develop a national registry of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. The result is a 

website called Frac Focus, www.fracfocus.org, launched on April 11. The U.S. Department of Energy provided funding support for the project. The initiative provides 

oil and gas exploration and production companies with a single-source means to 

publicly disclose the chemical additives used in the hydraulic fracturing process. 

The Frac Focus website features an easy-to-use interface that gives the public and 

regulators access to comprehensive information about hydraulically-fractured wells 

nationwide. Searchable fields allow users to identify wells by location, operator, 

state, and county, as well as a standard well identification number, known as an 

API number. 

The website also contains information about the process of hydraulic fracturing, 

groundwater protection, chemical use, state regulations, publications, and links to 

federal agencies, technical resources and each participating company. Within its 

first months of operation 40 companies had agreed to participate in the effort, more 

than 450 wells were loaded into the system by 18 of these companies, and the 

website was visited more than 28,000 times by people in 78 countries. 

Future enhancements to the site will include an improved uploading system that 

should result in quicker posting of greater numbers of records, a Geographic Information System interface that will aid the public in locating records more easily and 

links to more publications, state agencies and other resources. 

My agency in Michigan joins other states in strongly encouraging the industry to 

upload data to the Frac Focus website. Several states are considering using Frac 

Focus as part of future chemical disclosure rule changes. 

The Pending U.S. EPA Study 

I have reviewed the U.S. EPA ‘‘Draft Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources’’ that was published February 7, 

2011. We support the study plan in principle. While we believe the states have adequate programs and authority for regulating hydraulic fracturing and a very good 

understanding of the technology and its potential for impacts, we also acknowledge 

the potential benefits of a review by the EPA in light of the intense controversy surrounding the subject. 

We appreciate the EPA’s pledge to work with the states, GWPC, and other stakeholders in conducting the study and are committed to upholding our respective 

roles. In particular, we want to assure that the study adhere to the directive of Con-
34 

gress that the study utilize the best available science; rely on independent sources 

of information; be a transparent, peer-reviewed process; and incorporate consultation with stakeholders. 

We do have some concern with the scope and timing of the study. The EPA intends to produce an interim report in 2012, and provide additional results in a 2014 

report. The EPA has identified a number of questions to be addressed, including impacts of water withdrawals; releases of fracturing fluids, flowback, and produced 

water; the injection and fracturing process itself; and inadequate treatment of hydraulic fracturing wastewaters. EPA’s Science Advisory Board has urged the agency 

to focus on waste discharges, and we agree with that recommendation, particularly 

with respect to the interim report. We believe that management of flowback and 

produced water is the primary concern in hydraulic fracturing. We are concerned 

that the broad scope of the study as proposed will make it difficult to produce a 

timely report. 

We have one final concern: President Obama has directed the Department of Energy to establish a panel to address concerns regarding potential negative impacts 

associated with hydraulic fracturing. Within six months, the panel is to offer advice 

to other agencies on how to better protect the environment from shale gas drilling. 

It is unclear how the panel’s study will be combined with the ongoing EPA study. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, we believe the laws and rules in Michigan and other states effectively protect water and other natural resources as well as public health and safety 

from potential adverse effects of hydraulic fracturing. Michigan is typical of the oil 

and gas producing states in taking a proactive approach to address large-scale hydraulic fracturing as well as other issues associated with deep shale gas development. The GWPC will continue to assist states with their regulatory needs for the 

purpose of protecting water, our most vital natural resource. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear here today. I would be glad to entertain any questions the Committee may have. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you, Mr. Fitch. 

I now recognize Dr. Cal Cooper from Apache Corporation for five 

minutes to present his testimony. 

STATEMENT OF DR. CAL COOPER, MANAGER, WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES, GREENHOUSE GAS, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, APACHE CORPORATION 

Dr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Johnson, and 

Members of the Committee, thank you. 

For the oil and gas business hydraulic fracturing is one of the 

most enabling technologies ever. It will unlock vast amounts of hydrocarbons not only in shales but also in mature fields and widespread unconventional reservoirs. Companies are testing new applications every day. Our energy future is being redefined, especially here at home. This is going to have a really major economic 

impact. 

We all agree we must rationally understand its risks. Based on 

existing knowledge and practical experience we believe these risks 

are minimum and manageable. We have faith that if a problem is 

identified, industry will be able to innovate, adapt, and resolve it. 

Certainly the public deserves more than our assurances. As a 

Nation our choice is to employ high-quality science to frame and investigate concerns and then have rigorous scientific review that 

validates our conclusions. 

That means calm, dispassionate reasoning and analysis and focused investigations, objectivity. The common good is not advanced 

by emotionally-charged distortions and confrontational media. This 

is not a game of gotcha. It is not entertainment. It is about our future in every sense of the word. 
35 

Maybe some folks believe this is just about the Marcellus. Well, 

Apache doesn’t currently operate in the Marcellus Shale Play, but 

we have a big acreage position in British Columbia where the second-largest hydrocarbon producer in the Permian Basin, and we 

have been doing quite a bit of fracking in Western Oklahoma and 

the Texas Panhandle in the Granite Wash. 

We know this technology is truly revitalizing production in the 

North American Oil Patch, and it will rapidly expand internationally. 

Developing oil and gas resources requires continued innovation 

to reduce costs, never compromising efforts to improve environmental protection and safety. Ultimately we all benefit from doing 

this correctly, but no formula applies everywhere. Apache operates 

in states and provinces where we are permitted to re-inject 100 

percent of flowback and produced water into deep underground reservoirs, completely isolated from freshwater aquifers. We believe 

this is the safest option, and it eliminates many potential conflicts. 

This is not done in the Marcellus. 

Recently we proved for our Canadian operations that we can use 

high-sailing water instead of fresh water for our frack jobs. Working with our partner, EnCana, we extract and treat water from a 

deep saline reservoir known as the Debolt formation. We do some 

treatment to it, and after fracking we then re-inject the flowback 

and produce water into that same formation in a closed loop system. 

High-flow-rate brackish or salt water systems like the Debolt, 

well, they are not present everywhere, and they are probably not 

present in the Marcellus. But in the Permian Basin we think that 

the Santa Rosa groundwater system can be adapted for a similar 

purpose, and we are working hard to advance that as fast as we 

can. 

Apache has also made a real effort to help the industry reach 

consensus regarding disclosure of the composition of hydraulic fracturing fluids. We have committed to post the composition of every 

U.S. frac job operated by us on the FracFocus website that Mr. 

Fitch just described. 

Well, the success of any scientific evaluation can usually be predicted by the quality and commitment of the team assembled to do 

the work, the clarity and focus of the investigation to prioritize 

testing of what is important, and the availability of the necessary 

tools and resources to get the job done. Good oversight also helps. 

Based on those criteria it is frankly difficult to expect much of 

value from this EPA study. It aspires to do too much with too little, 

in too short a time frame. It has no direction of priorities based on 

testing existing knowledge. It reads like a shopping list for research funding. Buy one of each. 

The national interest may be well served by changing the tone 

of the study. What can be done quickly for that budget? Perhaps 

the EPA could collaborate with industry to identify and prioritize 

concerns, perhaps rapid progress could be made to identify the 

chemical additives of greatest concern based on regionally-specific 

information and analysis about the ultimate presence of those 

chemicals in produced waters and the quantification of actual risks 

to the public. This would help all of us. 
36 

I have met and discussed hydraulic fracturing with a great many 

talented people, including some exceptional scientists in industry, 

the EPA, national labs, universities, and committed environmentalists. I consider it a privilege to have served as a technical theme 

lead for an EPA hydraulic fracturing workshop. We all have different perspectives, but we all agree. Ultimately science must be 

objective. Sometimes it takes awhile to realize that truth, and hydraulic fracturing is far too important to be dismissed for the 

wrong reasons. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Cooper follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. CAL COOPER, MANAGER, WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL

TECHNOLOGIES, GREENHOUSE GAS, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, APACHE COR- PORATION

Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee, 

Thank you for this opportunity to provide an industry perspective on the exciting, 

technology driven opportunity of hydraulic fracturing. Today I hope to share with 

you some perspectives on both the technology as a whole and on the proposed EPA 

draft plan to study the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water 

resources. Apache considers hydraulic fracturing (HF) one of the most enabling technologies 

in the oil and gas business. It is a technique that continues to evolve; and it benefits 

from constant innovation as companies explore new applications every day. Literally 

the future of the world energy supply is being re-written as economically recoverable 

oil and gas supplies increase at dramatic rates thanks to advances in hydraulic fracturing. With so much potential it is essential that we, as a nation, investigate and 

rationally understand the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing techniques by 

employing high quality science and rigorous scientific review to validate our conclusions. The public may not want to engage in the analytical techniques required for 

understanding scientific tests, but it has every right to believe that regulators, the 

scientific community and industry will collaborate to investigate and ensure public 

safety, and especially to preserve precious resources such as groundwater and clean 

air. 

Given the rapid expansion of the technique, many are uncomfortable and even 

afraid of the changes it brings. To complicate matters, public understanding is not 

advanced by emotionally charged distortions and confrontational media. It appears 

that many are content to criticize techniques they barely begin to understand, and 

jump to conclusions without also acknowledging that innovation is likely to overcome obstacles as they are properly understood. The Society of Petroleum Engineers 

has estimated that there have been over two million fracture stimulation jobs done 

worldwide—more than one million in the United States alone in the last 60 years; 

there is no doubt the technique has improved considerably in the past five years. 

Science is about testing ideas and solving problems. The oil and gas business has 

a long tradition of technical innovation based on applied science and engineering 

that has created enormous wealth for this country and allowed Americans to enjoy 

high standards of living with relatively low-cost energy. 

Apache’s hydraulic fracturing operations 

Most focus on hydraulic fracturing in shale gas plays. Apache believes hydraulic 

fracturing will unlock vast amounts of hydrocarbons in both existing conventional 

and new unconventional reservoirs. While Apache does not currently operate in the 

Marcellus shale play, it is both a major player and a significant innovator elsewhere. We have a leading acreage position in the Horn River Basin shale gas play 

in British Columbia, Canada. Apache is the second-largest hydrocarbon producer in 

the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, where we are applying highvolume horizontal hydraulic fracturing techniques to increase oil production from a 

very large inventory of drilling targets in fields that have been producing for 60 

years or more. In the Anadarko basin of western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, we have achieved great success in advancing the Granite Wash play, producing high flow rates of natural gas and condensate from a laterally extensive tight 

sandstone reservoir that was originally developed using fraced vertical wells beginning in the 1970s. We recently announced we have extended this concept to another 

reservoir, the Hogshooter formation, where two hydraulically fractured wells have 

provided initial flow rates in excess of 2,000 barrels of oil and 3 million cubic feet 
37 

(MMcf) of gas per day. Hydraulic fracturing is revitalizing production in the North 

American Oil Patch, and we are convinced it will rapidly expand internationally. 

Apache is actively engaged in hydraulic fracturing tests in unconventional reservoirs 

or resource plays in Argentina and we expect to go forward with tests in the Western Desert of Egypt. We recognize that our competitors also have global ambitions 

to expand the use of the technology. 

Hydraulic fracturing is a major transformative technology that expands and 

leverages long-proven drilling standards and techniques in order to massively increase the energy available to the growing population of the planet. The question 

before you and the industry is not whether it should be continued. Developing this 

expected flood of supply will require continued innovation to reduce cost and increase efficiency, aligned with efforts to improve environmental protection. Sustainable performance requires us to consider how we can reduce the footprint of our operations, best provide the water required and protect local aquifers with responsible 

practices, and carefully select and use the necessary chemicals. Ultimately we all 

benefit from doing this correctly. 

Managing risks and operating in a safe and responsible manner 

Apache takes great care to protect drinking water and manage risks associated 

with drilling and production everywhere it operates. It surprises many that some 

places have little or no effective regulation governing the standards of common 

water supply wells. We are not aware, however, of any jurisdiction around the globe 

where drilling practices and well-design standards do not explicitly address protection of potable aquifers. Wells are drilled, fresh water is isolated behind steel and 

cement barriers, and the barriers are tested before hydraulic fracturing operations 

begin. Performance testing includes pressure tests of each cemented section and full 

wellbore pressure tests before hydraulic fracturing competitions begin. It is increasingly common for months to pass between the time drilling operations cease and a 

well is completed using hydraulic fracturing. Detailed continuous pressure monitoring is standard with hydraulic fracturing operations, and sometimes we employ 

micro-seismic monitoring techniques to help define the shape and the lateral and 

vertical extent of the fractures and injected fluids. 

Apache operates in states and provinces where we are permitted to re-inject 100 

percent of flow-back and produced water into deep underground reservoirs completely isolated from freshwater aquifers. In Oklahoma and Texas, we normally 

make-up our frac fluids by mixing fresh water produced from shallow groundwater 

sources and surface sources that are purchased from land owners. Recently, we have 

learned a great deal from our Canadian operations about using relatively high saline water instead of fresh water, contrary to the general practices and expectations 

of the industry. In the Horn River Basin, working with our partner EnCana, we 

have developed a system for extracting water from a saline aquifer in the Debolt 

formation and treating it in a built for purpose plant to eliminate H2S. The water 

is piped to our well pad where we add a minimum of chemicals to create an effective 

frac fluid. After fracing we then re-inject the flow-back and produced water into the 

Debolt formation in a closed-loop system. This water source provides many operational advantages, and compliments efficiencies provided by innovative high-density well pads that allow a minimum surface footprint. We intend to continue to innovate to protect a pristine environment using a minimum of surface water and disposing of none into waterways. 

High-flow-rate brackish or salt water aquifer systems are not present everywhere. 

In the Permian Basin, Apache believes the brackish Santa Rosa groundwater system can be adapted for a similar purpose as the Debolt in parts of the Horn River 

Basin. We are currently investigating tests of our concept for frac systems in oil reservoirs using recycled brackish water as a base fluid. This has many environmental 

advantages, and well as practical reservoir management efficiencies, but it is especially good because if we are successful, we will minimize our need for fresh water. 

This is a clear example where technology enables our business and we aggressively 

explore what is possible in order to succeed. So do many others, and we all benefit. 

In addition to our general practice of water re-injection, we have developed a program that tests the chemical composition of our make-up water, whole frac fluid, 

flow-back and produced water at representative wells. We test this water even 

though it gets re-injected into deep reservoirs and would never be used for drinking. 

Information from these tests helps us communicate with our service companies to 

reduce or improve the chemical formulations in our operations. 

In addition we have undertaken many performance-based comparisons to aid in 

our selection of chemical additives. Basically, no one wants to pay for chemicals they 

don’t need, and we have found that we can often replace non-biodegradable biocides 

with much less intrusive chemicals or even with ultraviolet light in some cir-
38 

cumstances. We frequently eliminate clay control additives without detrimental reactions. 

Beyond our direct operational choices, Apache has made a real effort help the industry reach consensus regarding disclosure of the composition of hydraulic fracturing fluids; we have committed to post the composition of every U.S. frac job operated by Apache on the FracFocus hydraulic fracturing chemical registry. The 

www.fracfocus.org website is a joint project of the Ground Water Protection Council 

and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. 

The EPA Draft Plan 

Apache Corporation would be pleased if the U.S. scientific community were to conduct robust scientific investigations that better establish the risks of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Based on existing knowledge and practical experience we believe these risks are minimal and manageable; we have faith that if a 

problem is identified, industry will be able to innovate and resolve it. Society benefits from high-quality research that advances knowledge and ultimately makes us 

more comfortable with the difficult choices we face. Alarmist sensationalism, especially when it purports to be science, is destructive, and this topic has enjoyed more 

that it’s fair share of that already. 

The success of any scientific evaluation can usually be predicted by the quality 

and commitment of the team assembled to do the work, the clarity and focus of the 

investigation to prioritize testing what is important, and the availability of the necessary tools and resources to get the job done. Good oversight and guidance also 

helps. Based on those criteria it is frankly difficult to expect much of value from 

this study. It aspires to do too much with too little, in too short a time frame. It 

has no direction of priorities based on testing existing knowledge. If this committee 

believes that the topic merits investigation, then Apache supports making adequate 

funds and oversight available to achieve a well-defined goal. 

One fundamental problem underlying this study is an unresolved conflict: Is it intended to be a study of risks of hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus shale basin 

or fracturing throughout the United States? Issues related to surface water discharge and use of publicly operated treatment works (POTW) appear to be limited 

to the Marcellus, yet the study tends to consider these major national issues, deserving the highest priority. 

Water resource management, at the scale required for hydraulic fracturing, normally is the prerogative of states and local governments, and there is substantial 

variation across geology and jurisdiction about the net effect of water demand for 

any given water resource. States are equipped with the skills required to manage 

water resources and there is no need for this study to include the topic. Any evaluation of the water resources required for hydraulic fracturing needs to be made in 

the context of other major demands on water. 

Lifecycle analysis of hydraulic fracturing techniques, in terms of impact on water 

and air emissions, may deserve critical investigation, but in this study it contributes 

little to the essential question proposed by Congress. Likewise the proposed focus 

on repetitive toxicology studies seems a misplaced priority at this level of funding. 

Existing information should be mined and leveraged and focused studies undertaken 

to test the conclusions. 

The national interest may be well served by changing the tone of the study. Instead of casting a wide and shallow net hoping to catch something quickly, focus 

on developing more insightful fishing techniques. It would be helpful for EPA to collaborate with industry to identify and prioritize the chemical additives of greatest 

concern based on regionally specific information and analysis about the ultimate 

presence of these chemicals in produced waters and the actual risks to the public. 

There are likely to be different answers for different formations, and this aspect of 

study would help all parties focus on the development of alternative additives and 

practices to best protect the environment. 

I would like to end on a very personal note. In my journey to understand the real 

issues of hydraulic fracturing, I have met and discussed technical material with a 

great many talented people including some exceptional scientists in industry, the 

EPA, national labs, universities and committed environmentalists. I consider it a 

privilege to have served as a technical theme lead for an EPA hydraulic fracturing 

workshop. It is true that there is simmering distrust between scientists with different perspectives, but that is probably healthy at some level. Government science 

sometimes seems to encourage and expose our worst tendencies, especially when 

non-scientific issues may be the root cause of polarization. Ultimately science is objective. Sometimes it takes a while to realize that truth. Hydraulic fracturing is far 

too important to be dismissed for the wrong reasons. 
39 

Chairman HALL. Thank you very much. 

Now we will have Dr. Michael Economides, and I know I pronounced it right that time. Recognize you for five minutes, sir. 

STATEMENT OF DR. MICHAEL ECONOMIDES, PROFESSOR OF 

CHEMICAL AND BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some prepared remarks, but I am going to forego very much because I don’t 

want to review some of the—— 

Chairman HALL. Turn on your microphone, Doctor. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Can you hear me now? 

Chairman HALL. Now you can start over, and your time will 

start now. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Okay. Thank you. I said I have some prepared 

remarks. I am going to make my presentation a bit shorter because 

I don’t want to repeat the things you have heard already. 

I want everybody in this room to realize a truism. No frack, no 

gas. In other words, you cannot produce natural gas anywhere in 

the world without hydraulic fracturing. The business has evolved 

into a $13 billion exercise right now, and personally I have worked 

in about 70 countries thus far on hydraulic fracturing, and I can 

assure you that debates like this are not going to find anywhere 

else except here. That is fracturing is the quintessential way to 

produce natural gas. End of the story. 

Now, it has been the reason that natural gas has been sustained 

as a very legitimate energy source in the United States. You have 

heard earlier on that essentially we are almost self-sufficient in 

natural gas, and in particular shale gas is arguably the best story 

in the energy industry in the last decade. We have ramped up production from about 0 percent from shale gas about only four years 

ago to 17 percent of our natural gas in the United States. There 

has never been a story like this in the entire history of the oil and 

gas industry. 

And yet there is a study by the EPA that they have assembled 

together and the panelists, who are acknowledged experts in their 

respective fields, but almost none of those guys have any experience in fracturing. In fact, people like myself, we are almost deliberately excluded from this panel because we obtained it just because we have worked in hydraulic fracturing. That is why. 

The study plan fails to recognize some very salient points. First 

of all, the entire report focuses on nanodarcy permeability. This is 

shale gas, extra tight reservoirs, and yet it is purported to draw 

conclusions for hydraulic fracturing that can apply to just about everywhere else from 100 millidarcy to 200 millidarcy wells in the 

Gulf of Mexico to everything in between. 

One frack treatment in the Marcellus Shale may actually have 

the EPA draw conclusions that would condemn an entire industry, 

regardless of any technical differences in the fracturing process. 

There is even more drawbacks. For instance, the study does not 

distinguish between 40 well construction, that is casing problems, 

cementing problems, and so on, or some entirely mythical subsurface communication as suggested in silly documentaries like 

Gasland. In the study plan they are listed under well injection, and 
40 

this is supposed to be the Science and Technology Committee, so 

here you have some scientific results. What you see here is the 

depths of water table, the top blue bars, and underneath are fractured heights that have been actually measured in a great number 

of fracturing treatments in the Marcellus Shale. 

You can see they are separated by several thousand feet. There 

is no physical way that fractured height migration due to hydraulic 

fracturing can actually reach drinking water aquifers. 

And in summary, hydraulic fracturing has been used for six decades without significant environmental consequence. The approaches have been studied extensively ad nauseam by a number 

of agencies, including the EPA, and the EPA study plan, the one 

that is under question right now, in the review panel, have been 

carefully designed in my view and selected to lead to only one conclusion, in favor of EPA control at the crippling cost to the production of U.S. natural gas. 

Thank you very much. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Economides follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. MICHAEL ECONOMIDES, PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL AND

BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

One Page Summary 

1. Virtually all wells require hydraulic fracturing to produce commercial quantities of gas (or oil). 

2. It has taken industry over 20 years to figure out that horizontal wellbores combined with hydraulic fracturing are the key to producing commercial quantities of 

natural gas from shale formations. 

3. Shale and tight gas now accounts for over 2/3 of the daily gas produced in the 

United States, and has led to 87% of our natural gas supply being produced domestically. It is important to realize that this gas production wouldn’t be possible without hydraulic fracturing. 

4. Despite EPA having conducted several historical reviews of hydraulic fracturing, and clearing the process as recently as 2004, cap-and-trade proponents 

in Congress directed a new study in 2010. However, this time the internet tools of 

facebook, privately funded documentaries such as Gasland, and the national media 

have fueled a frenzy of anti-fracturing sentiment previously unknown. 

5. So the EPA initiated a study of hydraulic fracturing in 2010, ostensibly to study 

the potential effects of hydraulic fracture on drinking water. 

6. I will show with a few examples, this process has been anything but sound. 

The panel excludes outright some of the most highly regarded individuals in the 

technical area of hydraulic fracturing; presumably being an expert on the subject 

immediately condemns one as an industry shrill. 

7. Despite having thousands of hydraulically fractured wells to consider, EPA 

‘‘stakeholder’’ meetings identified several handfuls of wells for their potential contamination to drinking water. Of these, only four will receive forensic examination within the context of a hydraulic fracturing water life cycle. The risk is that 

one bad well will condemn an entire fracturing process with this study approach. 

8. There are many, many deficiencies and concerns with respect to EPA’s hydraulic fracturing study. The examples given today illustrate why the EPA’s Hydraulic 

Fracturing Study is a Peep Show. On the outside the world is seeing one thing, from 

within the view is quite different. From within it is clear that the intent is to gain 

regulatory authority over hydraulic fracturing. And the consumer will bear that 

cost. 

9. My contention is that the hydraulic fracturing process is safe, already well regulated by the various States, and the hysterical outcry over this process is completely unjustified. Ultimately, the frenzy of arguments over hydraulic fracturing 

distill to this single fact: Either the United States wishes to utilize its natural 

gas resources, or it doesn’t. For development of shale or tight gas goes hand-inhand with hydraulic fracturing. Saying ‘‘no’ to hydraulic fracturing really 

means you are saying ‘‘no’’ to natural gas production in the United States. 
41 

The Beverly Hillbillies entertained many generations, each program starting with 

Jed Clampett shooting at the hills with crude oil bubbling out of the ground. But 

the widely known image of Jed teaches us two things that are simply not true. 

First, recovering hydrocarbons isn’t easy, particularly today, and secondly, the oil 

industry is far more concerned for the environment than this. 

It took many years for industry to realize that, by pumping hydraulic pressure 

into a subsurface hydrocarbon filled rock, one could create a crack that would make 

it much easier for oil, or gas, to flow out of the rock. Today virtually all wells require this process to produce commercial quantities of gas (or oil). And, as shown 

here, it has taken industry over 20 years to figure out that horizontal wellbores 

combined with hydraulic fracturing are the key to producing commercial quantities 

of natural gas from shale formations. 

This realization, combined with advancements in the ability to pump multiple 

fracture treatments in tight rock and shale formation has led to a huge boom in gas 

production. As shown here, shale and tight gas now accounts for over 2/3 of the 

daily gas produced in the United States, and has led to 87% of our natural gas supply being produced domestically. It is important to realize that this gas production wouldn’t be possible without hydraulic fracturing. 

Despite EPA having conducted several historical reviews of hydraulic fracturing, 

and clearing the process as recently as 2004, cap-and-trade proponents in Congress directed a new study in 2010. However, this time the internet tools of 

facebook, privately funded documentaries such as Gasland, and the national media 

have fueled a frenzy of anti-fracturing sentiment previously unknown. 

So the EPA initiated a study of hydraulic fracturing in 2010, ostensibly to study 

the potential effects of hydraulic fracture on drinking water. Their study was issued 

through their own Office of Research, their hand-picked Science advisory council, 

and ultimately through the Hydraulic Fracturing Review Study Panel—a group of 

academics also selected by the EPA. The study is currently awaiting feedback from 

the Study Panel. 

Now, the mandate to EPA was to employ a transparent, peer review process in 

this study of hydraulic fracturing. However, as I will show with a few examples, this 

process has been anything but that. For sure many of the 22-member Hydraulic 

Fracturing Study Panel are experts in their own area of groundwater, public health, 

etc., but almost all have no experience in hydraulic fracturing and no understanding 

of current industry practices. The panel excludes outright some of the most highly 

regarded individuals in the technical area of hydraulic fracturing; presumably being 

an expert on the subject immediately condemns one as an industry shrill. 

And the lack of industry representation on the Panel is telling. 

At the Stakeholder meetings held around the country (meetings the Study Panel 

themselves could not attend) and subsequent to those meetings, the public was encouraged to provide information about their water wells—cases that might form the 

bedrock of a forensic review to determine if fracturing had caused contamination. 

Despite having thousands of hydraulically fractured wells to consider, EPA 

‘‘stakeholder’’ meetings identified several handfuls of wells for their potential contamination to drinking water. Of these, only four will receive forensic examination within the context of a hydraulic fracturing water life cycle, including water 

source and availability, chemical mixing, well injection, flowback and disposal. 

Key drivers in selecting the four retrospective cases are focused much more on 

data availability and likeliness of identifying problems, rather than applicability in 

representing the normal range of fracturing outcomes. From these limited cases 

EPA expects to draw massive conclusions, stemming from a hurried, single year of 

‘research’. 

There is simply no way four retrospective case studies can be considered a representative, or fair sampling of any process, regardless of how carefully those cases 

are selected. Our risk as a nation is that one bad well will condemn an entire 

fracturing process with this study approach. 

And the expectation of research results in one year demonstrates even more clearly the lack of credibility. I have been a professor for many years and I rarely see 

funded projects that can even get started in a year’s time. With the EPA’s approach 

we must already know the answers. 

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming each have over 60 years of extensive experience with the hydraulic fracturing process and these States have well 

developed regulatory processes in place. Treatments must be noticed to the State 

before they are performed, and each State regulatory agency elects to witness treatments. There are defined casing points, cementing and testing procedures, and 

treatment monitoring. An overwhelming majority of hydraulic fracturing treatments 

are witnessed by regulatory personnel. 
42 

In addition, STRONGER [State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental 

Regulations, a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization], is playing a clear role in 

unification of hydraulic fracturing oversight a the State level. 

Yet, amazingly, the EPA study specifically excludes the State agencies experiences from the Study plan. There can be no question that this omission is a deliberate attempt to direct the conclusions of the fracturing study. 

But ask yourself this question: Would it be more effective to have experienced 

field engineers and regulators witnessing each treatment, or an EPA clerk shuffling 

a stack of permits? 

Last week there was a blowout from a tight gas well in the Marcellus Shale. 

Wisely, the leadership in Pennsylvania calmly noted that when we repeat a process 

thousands of times occasionally there is a rare problem. An unexpected equipment 

failure allowed a release of frac fluids at the surface. However, this was quickly rectified. My point in raising this is the frenzy of negative press, both before and after 

this event, is focused on creating the fractures, rather than wellbore or equipment 

reliability. Wellbore construction and hydraulic fracturing are completely different 

and after reading the Study Plan it isn’t clear that the committee even recognizes 

that. 

So let me show you a picture of fracture treatments mapped by Pinnacle in the 

Marcellus Shale. Each stage of fracture treatment is plotted with the red line representing the mid depth where the fractures originate. The shallowest point and 

deepest points are plotted. At the top, the blue is a plot of the deepest groundwater. 

As you can see, the fracture treatments are well confined heights, at least a mile 

below the deepest groundwater. The chance of propagating a fracture upward into 

groundwater is nil. You have a better chance of winning the lottery. 

Interestingly, we also see another aspect. As the depth of fracture becomes 

shallower, fracture height decreases, reflecting the fact that the overburden is becoming the smallest subsurface stress. With continued decreases in depth, the fracture will become horizontal, also preventing the fracture from propagating into 

groundwater. 

But since all of this is happening in the subsurface, where it cannot be 

seen, it’s tough to overcome that frenzy of fear. 

There are many, many deficiencies and concerns with respect to EPA’s hydraulic 

fracturing study. The examples given today illustrate why the EPA’s Hydraulic 

Fracturing Study is a Peep Show. On the outside the world is seeing one thing, from 

within the view is quite different. From within it is clear that the intent is to gain 

regulatory authority over hydraulic fracturing. And the consumer will bear that 

cost. 

My contention is that the hydraulic fracturing process is safe, already well regulated by the various States, and the hysterical outcry over this process is completely 

unjustified 

Ultimately, the frenzy of arguments over hydraulic fracturing distill to this single 

fact: Either the United States wishes to utilize its natural gas resources, or 

it doesn’t. For development of shale or tight gas goes hand-in-hand with hydraulic 

fracturing. Saying ‘‘no’ to hydraulic fracturing really means you are saying 

‘‘no’’ to natural gas production in the United States. 
43 

There is no ending to the energy wars that have become culture wars and they 

have infested even ostensibly technocratic agencies of the government that ordinarily should be held above ideology. Not so in the imagery-loaded EPA under the 

Obama Administration. 

The agency’s latest foray is the establishment of a 22-member Scientific Advisory 

Board (SAB) Panel, referred to as ‘‘Panel for Review of Hydraulic Fracturing Study 

Plan for Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking 

Water Resources.’’ Now one would think that this is a noble undertaking but a look 

at the roster of the panelists, investigative approach, exclusivity and ramrod urgency would put this notion to immediate rest. 

Certainly many of the review panelists are experts in their respective fields of 

ground water hydrology, toxicology, forestry, and public health, etc., but almost all 

have little to no experience in the well fracturing process and no understanding of 

current industry practices. The panel excludes outright any of the arguably most famous names on the subject: Holditch (author of 300 papers, author/editor of SPE 

Monograph on the subject), Meyer, Barree, Cleary, Smith (the creators of the four 

industry standard design softwares that could actually model fracture dimensions 

and fracture height) and myself, the author of 200 papers and five books on the subject. Presumably publications on the subject would be against the candidacy of these 

individuals as panelists, an outrageous presupposition that their technical prowess 

would render them to be industry shills. 

The almost surely intentional absence of industry participation, except for briefly 

orchestrated public testimony, is to say the least, curious. Coupling the absence of 

industry experts with the study plan itself provides even greater insights. 

Despite having thousands of wells to consider, EPA has held ‘‘stakeholder’’ meetings in which several handfuls of wells have been identified for their potential contamination to drinking water. Of these, four will receive forensic examination within 

the context of a hydraulic fracturing water life cycle, including water source and 

availability, chemical mixing, well injection, flowback and disposal. 

Key drivers in selecting the four retrospective cases are focused much more on 

data availability and likeliness of identifying problems, rather than applicability in 

representing the normal range of fracturing outcomes. From these limited cases 

EPA expects to draw massive conclusions, stemming from a hurried, single year of 

‘research’. Given that the research has not yet been awarded, one wonders if the 

answers are already foregone conclusions. 
44 

Other aspects of the study are equally worrisome; the entire report focuses on 

nanodarcy, such as shale, rock completely ignoring the fact that most wells are fracture stimulated upon completion, including those in high permeability environments. Presumably one villain frac treatment in shale condemns an entire industry 

practice regardless of any technical differences in the fracturing process. 

Most panel members simply could not distinguish (or probably would not even 

care) whether any observed contamination could be the result of faulty well construction (a rare but real possibility) or some entirely mythical ‘‘subsurface communication’’ as suggested in silly documentaries like Gasland. Wellbore construction 

and the fracturing processes are not at all the same things, yet lack any separate 

commentary under the header ‘‘well injection’ in the flawed study plan. Only newly 

minted Ivy PhD’s in public policy (likely those who wrote this plan), or those predisposed against the production of any natural gas, would fail to make this distinction. 

Another concern is the wholesale disregard for current State regulatory practices. 

The efficacy of existing regulations are not even considered in the EPA draft study 

plan, discounting the efforts that organizations such as STRONGER [State Review 

of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, a non-profit, multi-stakeholder 

organization], have clearly played a unification and enforcement role at the State 

level. Their work is not considered as part of the proposed EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study. 

Even the outcomes of EPA modelers are misled. The study plan makes no mention 

of the hydraulic fracturing models developed by industry experts such as those 

noted herein, nor is there any mention of modeling with the use of microseismic post 

fracture morphology (fracturing height length) verifications from hundreds of treatments. Rather, esteemed modelers of the EPA will ‘‘assume’’ a fracture within the 

context of their subsurface hydrologic flow models, perhaps without any geological 

context. This assumed fracture may bear no resemblance whatsoever to the actual 

fractures resulting from a pumped treatment. 

And the list goes on and on. 

Let’s fast forward a year and imagine the results, assuming that EPA limits itself 

to study the four or so cases (out of hundreds of thousands) where suspicions may 

have arisen of water contamination either from natural gas production (unrelated 

to the fracturing itself, even if the well was fractured) or to the even rarer possibility of contamination because of fracturing fluid additives. Assuming that 3 out 

of 4 of these cases find some connection (the two Gasland examples were debunked) 

then one can see the headline: ‘‘EPA SAB finds that 75% of water contamination 

incidents were in fact caused by hydraulic fracturing,’’ clearly a hatchet job, a truism that conveniently ignores the incredible rarity of the three case out of hundreds 

of thousands wells that are hydraulically fractured and, perhaps exactly, satisfying 

the latent motives of the creators of the EPA SAB on hydraulic fracturing. 

A finding that contamination can happen through an accidental defect in well construction, even if it has happened in one case in 100,000, is something that simply 

cannot be determined from limited retrospective case studies, and any single official 

‘‘finding’’ would have only one effect: alarm unnecessarily the public and reinforce 

the opinions of those that already have opinions on either side of the issue. 

There is a ‘‘peep show’’ quality to the whole affair, with EPA actions occurring 

within the public eye but only ‘glimpses’ of the real picture within. With the introduction of the phrase ‘‘area of evaluation’’ in the study plan, it becomes clear that 

the’’ show within’’ is to impose area of review studies around any hydraulically fractured well in the United States. Such regulatory authority could shift the ‘‘frac, no 

frac’’ decision from State authorities to the EPA, resulting in gas well drilling moratoriums similar to the drilling largess now experienced in the Gulf of Mexico. 

To somebody that understands (and believes in) the importance of natural gas to 

the country’s welfare it is clear that only those predisposed against any hydraulic 

fracturing could be pleased with this study. The EPA panel has served their role 

in sanctifying this EPA hydraulic study plan, positioning researchers and other socalled experts to legitimize a clearly illegitimate and ideologically loaded attack on 

‘‘fracking’’, done by people that are predisposed against any natural gas production. 

Rarely have intentions been more transparent. 
45 
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53 

Chairman HALL. Thank you, sir, and I thank all of you for your 

testimony. 

I remind all of our Members the Committee rules limit our questions to five minutes, and the chair at this point will open the 

round of questions, and I recognize myself for five minutes. 

I will start with Mrs. Jones, and it is hard to get a yes or no answer, witnesses, but try to give me a yes or no on these because 

I am going to try to get through—I want to ask the last gentleman 

a question, and I am not sure how long it is going to take him to 

answer it for me. I want to save as much time as I can there. But 

I listened very closely to what you said. It made a lot of sense to 

me. 

Mrs. Jones, Madam Chairman, given that Texas produces more 

oil and gas than any other state in the U.S. and that is not just 

bragging, that is a hard cold fact. You know, Dizzy Dean said it 

ain’t bragging if you can do it. 

The Railroad Commission is probably the most experienced state 

regulator or as experienced a state regulator when it comes to 

issues like hydraulic fracturing. So my question is have any incidents regarding hydraulic fracturing arisen since your tenure on 

the commission that you felt the state was unable to respond to? 

Mrs. JONES. No. 

Chairman HALL. Can you think of any situation in which you felt 

that the state regulatory mechanisms were inadequate to properly 

oversee the use of this technology? 

Mrs. JONES. No. 

Chairman HALL. By golly I did get a yes or no. 

There was an incident in Texas the past year that was widely 

reported involving Range Resources in which the regional office of 

the EPA shut down operations of the company in order to investigate a claim of contamination of a drinking water well. What was 

the Railroad Commission’s role in this investigation? 

Mrs. JONES. The water well owner filed a complaint to the Railroad Commission on August 6 of 2010. Apparently the EPA was notified on August 17. We had ongoing investigation for several 

months. It takes awhile when you are investigating a potential contamination, and then I guess it was October 21, several months 

later, we gave the EPA a recommendation. They had also come in 

and were taking a parallel investigation and gave them some recommendations of what to sample at that Range production well, 

which was—the claim was made there was natural gas in a water 

well. 

We had worked very, very diligently. We concluded our investigation in spite of the early pronouncements by the EPA. We brought 

Range in, gave them the due process that our process allows. The 

EPA, much like today, also did not show up at those meetings at 

the Railroad Commissions Hearing Examiners, but we found, in 

fact, through our DNA testing and the isotopes they test and compare that, in fact, the natural gas in the water well did not come 

from Range Resources, and to this day we are still trying to determine the source, but there is a low-level naturally-occurring gas 

field in which many of these water wells for years have seen natural gas occurring in their water wells. 
54 

So it is a phenomenon that is not—or whether it is not unique. 

It is very ordinary over there where those water wells are, and that 

is what we found, and in fact, after a very thorough investigation 

and an ongoing thorough investigation will determine where the 

natural gas is coming from. 

But I would suggest that the EPA failed in their processes to determine where that natural gas was properly. 

Chairman HALL. Do you have any idea why the EPA stepped in 

to shut down these operations? 

Mrs. JONES. I have no idea, sir. 

Chairman HALL. Did the EPA in your opinion overstep their authority in doing so? 

Mrs. JONES. Yes. I think they did. 

Chairman HALL. How did the incident eventually turn out? 

Mrs. JONES. We found through deliberate scientific processes 

that the natural gas was not coming from the Range Resources 

wells as the EPA had alleged, and in fact, I sleep very well at night 

every single night. I have complete confidence in the testing process of the Railroad Commission of Texas. We are the gold standard, 

and we look forward to helping the EPA if they would like to consult us, and in fact, have made suggestions earlier on in the investigation. 

Chairman HALL. I thank you for that. 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. And thank you for your testimony. 

Dr. Economides, are you aware of the Duke study on May the 

9th, a study on methane contamination of drinking water? Are you 

familiar with the study? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes, I am, sir. 

Chairman HALL. Have you read that before? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes. 

Chairman HALL. I call your attention to the report itself. Do you 

have it? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Not here in front of me. No. 

Chairman HALL. Actually, they say our results show evidence for 

methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems in at 

least three areas of the region and suggest the important environmental risks accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide. 

You know, you see that, that is in there. That is where they say 

they found those things. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes. 

Chairman HALL. Then if you go on over to page 4 quickly—— 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes, sir. 

Chairman HALL. On page four, line, down about ten lines, read 

me what they say there beginning with table two. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. ‘‘Based on our data we found no evidence for 

contamination of the shallow wells near active drilling sites from 

deep brines and/or fracturing fluids.’’ Is that what you mean? 

Chairman HALL. Yes. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes, sir. 

Chairman HALL. And does it go on down there to say in sum, 

the—— 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. In sum, yes. 
55 

Chairman HALL. —geochemical and isotopic features for water 

we measured? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes. ‘‘In sum, the geochemical and isotopic features for water we measured in the shallow wells from both active 

and non-active areas are consistent with historical data and inconsistent with contamination from mixing Marcellus Shale formation 

water or saline fracturing fluids.’’ 

Chairman HALL. My time is over. Just give me a quick, about a 

1-minute opinion on the Duke study and what their first contention 

was and then they answered their own by saying there was nothing found. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Well, you know, if this was not such a serious 

issue, this would have been almost a comedy routine because their 

first statement is that they just discovered there is natural gas 

over there. You realize natural gas methane in water has traditionally been an exploration tool for the oil industry. We find it, we call 

them to come and drill for gas. That is what they have found out. 

In fact, had they had a baseline for their measurements, most 

likely the methane in drinking water would have gone down because production reduces the reservoir pressure, which is the driving force for this gas, and therefore, it would have a negative impact. They would have concluded that drilling reduces manifestation of natural gas. It happened many times before. It is not evidence of it here for their baseline. 

Finally, their conclusion there is no fracturing speaks in itself, 

and yet their conclusion which defies any kind of technical in my 

view—— 

Chairman HALL. Okay. I could go on and listen to you all morning, but my time is up. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. And I owe them some time back. 

I now recognize Ms. Johnson for five minutes. 

Ms. JOHNSON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. It is clear 

that a variety of perspectives on this panel, that we need more information about hydraulic fracturing and other technologies, and 

that is one of the reasons I do not understand why there is resistance to getting more information, more research, and better understanding as to what actually is going on across the country. 

For example, the chemical composition of fracturing fluid should 

be made available to the public. It is a simplistic issue. We are 

pumping chemicals into our environment, and these chemicals 

might have an impact on public health. 

Why should this information be hidden from the public? Well, I 

know that the regulation to disclose the information are outside the 

jurisdiction of this Committee. The EPA study is not. 

Therefore, I have to say that the EPA study is an opportunity to 

gain more knowledge about the hydraulic fracturing, and it should 

not be wasted by narrowing the scope so much that we keep ourselves ignorant to this technology’s impact. And although I would 

have liked to have seen a broader study with a scope that covered 

the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air quality, wildlife, or habitat and other impacts, I understand that EPA does not have the 

funding or the time to implement such a comprehensive study since 

the deadline is upon them. 
56 

That being said, the public expects us to spend its dollars wisely, 

so my question to this panel is what research is needed to understand the impacts of the suite of technologies used along the hydraulic fracturing to release unconventional natural gas from these 

previously-untouched geological structures such as the Marcellus 

Shale. 

And any member of the panel or all. 

Chairman HALL. Are you asking that of the panel? 

Ms. JOHNSON. Yes. 

Chairman HALL. Who wants to make a suggestion? Mrs. Ames. 

Ms. JONES. I will—— 

Chairman HALL. Mrs. Jones. 

Mrs. JONES. —suggest what studies that you were requesting, 

what studies should we do. There have been a lot of studies done. 

There are ongoing studies almost everywhere coming out of every 

city. UT is now doing a study on fracturing. There have been—is 

that what you were talking about? 

Ms. JOHNSON. The research that is needed to understand the impact. 

Mrs. JONES. Well, we do a lot of studies. The companies, it is incumbent upon these companies to not want to go drill a well where 

it is not going to be economic to the extent that they try and minimize dry holes, and dry holes, in spite of all this new technology 

and 3–D seismic things that they can look at to determine, in fact, 

they still do drill dry holes. But I would say that the research on 

what is down there is done even by the companies who want to go 

and drill there. 

But the research about the effects of hydraulic fracturing have 

been—there has been so much research done and now with seismic, 

I think we just saw the slide, which I think is fascinating, about 

we are seeing firsthand the seismic of exactly where those frack, 

the fractures are, and they are very—they are thousands of feet 

below the Marcellus water table. So there is a lot of information 

out there for people who would like to stay up all night and read 

it to feel comfortable that this is a safe technology. 

So to the extent that universities want to do more research, I— 

that is fine. I am also a steward of taxpayer dollars, and I think 

it is important that research, less research is funded by government where research has already been done before, and we minimize duplicative research, but I think information is available out 

there for people who want to know. I know there are more studies 

and more research being done, and we always want to be vigilant 

at all times on the effects of things that are going on in industry 

and commerce. 

But I have got to tell you hydraulic fracturing has been fairly 

covered up in research that I know of, and I am still, in spite of 

all the research, I feel very confident—— 

Ms. JOHNSON. Thank you. Let me get a few remarks from Dr. 

Summers. 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you. 

Dr. SUMMERS. Thank you. Obviously in Maryland we have limited experience so far, and Marcellus Shale is just within the last 

couple of years been—begun to be developed. There have been a 

number of issues that have occurred due to in some cases improper 
57 

well casing or failure of well casing. There have been spills, there 

have been explosions and fires and releases. 

In Maryland, obviously we don’t have a lot of experience with 

this. We, as I said, are very anxious to see the results of the EPA 

study. Their Science Advisory Board states that they believe EPA’s 

research approach as presented is appropriate. I think the linkage 

between a lot of these things we have been talking about and 

drinking water is very important, and citizens would like to know 

that this is a safe practice. 

So we would like to see a gathering of appropriate information 

specific to the Marcellus Shale as I have outlined in my remarks. 

Ms. JOHNSON. My time is expired. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman from California, Mr. Rohrabacher, is recognized for five minutes. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and 

thank you for holding this hearing, Mr. Chairman. It is really important to the wellbeing of the citizens of this country that we discuss this issue and do so in a very honest and scientific way. Our 

people are suffering right now. My people in California are suffering and throughout the country. We are in the middle of an economic crisis that is affecting the standard of living, the wellbeing 

of our people. 

One of the reasons perhaps, the most important reason we are 

suffering now and in the middle of a budget crisis here, as well as 

family budget crises across America is—there have been no new oil 

refineries in 30 years. There has been no hydroelectric dams in 30 

years. There has been no nuclear power plants in 30 years. We, in 

fact, have seen any new offshore and oil development deposits just 

controlled and regulated perhaps to the point that they were unable to provide the oil and gas that has been so important for our 

economy. Even in solar energy we found that the Bureau of Land 

Management has been refusing to grant permits for people who 

want to build solar energy plants out in the middle of the desert. 

So what we have had is an anti-energy policy in this country, 

and Americans are suffering because of it. One of the shining lights 

of hope is that we can now have a new source of natural gas and 

oil because of a new methodology of bringing it out of the earth and 

making it available to the people. 

I am afraid—I was a young reporter, and I will tell you I remember seeing the environmental movement come forward about all 

sorts of things, and when I tried to check out what they were talking about, it wasn’t true. I mean, they would make statements that 

just weren’t true. 

And so we better make sure we get to the truth of the matter 

in this issue or our people are going to continue to suffer. 

Let me go straight to an important issue. Dr. Summers, you have 

used the word drinking water probably about four or five times 

since you have been here this morning. Can you give us an example of where fracturing has polluted the drinking water, give us one 

or two examples of where that has happened. 

Dr. SUMMERS. Well, there have been spills in Pennsylvania that 

have gone into the rivers or the water supply. Monitoring has not 

indicated so far that there has been contamination of drinking 
58 

water supplies from any of these incidents in Pennsylvania that I 

am aware of—— 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay. So—— 

Dr. SUMMERS. —but it is a very significant water supply for millions of people in the Susquehanna and the Potomac Basin. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. And has that been—— 

Dr. SUMMERS. And we want to make sure that—— 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. —polluted? Has there been an incident where 

that drinking water has been—— 

Dr. SUMMERS. There have been spills into that water supply, that 

river. What I am saying is it has not been documented to actually 

have gotten into a drinking water intake so far. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay. So you have used the word drinking 

water now again four times, but there is no example of where the 

drinking water of the American people has been compromised because of this. Is that right? 

Dr. SUMMERS. I am not familiar with things all over the country. 

I can just say within the Susquehanna Basin where we have had 

most of our experience with drilling, I am not aware of any drinking water contamination. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Well, let me just note that you are someone 

with a Ph.D. in environmental sciences, and you are someone who 

holds authority. If there was a case around the country, you probably would know about it, wouldn’t you? 

Dr. SUMMERS. We are actively gathering that information now. 

As I indicated this hydraulic fracturing is relatively new to our region. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Well, it may be new to your region, but I understand from Mrs. Jones that it is not new to Texas or the rest 

of the panelists. It doesn’t seem to be new to them. 

Do any of you have an example where drinking water was contaminated by this new process, by fracking? No. Why have we 

heard the word drinking water being used over and over again, and 

Mr. Summers, are you using this as a reason—you went through 

all of these things that people are going to have to go through in 

order to develop this new energy source for the American people. 

I mean, from what you outlined in your plan, we are talking about 

roadblock after roadblock after roadblock just to make sure, and 

you are basing that on a situation where you never had even one 

example of the pollution of water, of drinking water. 

I mean, this—you want to know why we haven’t had any hydroelectric dams, why we haven’t had any nuclear power plants? It is 

that type of attitude that is destroying the economic wellbeing of 

our people. 

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you. You could suggest that EPA came 

in 1,000 feet of it being truthful, so that is one example he could 

have used. 

I recognize the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Sarbanes, for five 

minutes. 

Mr. SARBANES. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. I want to thank the panel. 

I have been trying to step back and assess where the fault lines 

in this conversation are, and I think part of what is going on is you 
59 

have one group that has got long experience with hydraulic fracturing in one set of circumstances that vows up and down that it 

is very safe. You have another group that is new to it and is having 

to analyze the potential risks associated with it under a different 

set of circumstances. Those can be geologic, geographic, in terms of 

the density of population, and other kinds of things, how you dispose of the fracking fluid. These are all factors that are different 

in one area from another area. 

So we could make a deal. We could make a deal that you won’t 

brush with broad strokes the desire on the part of people in the 

states affected by the Marcellus Shale to understand more about 

the implications for there based on experience in other places, and 

we will make a deal that we won’t automatically try to indict the 

whole industry for things that have happened other places based 

on our concerns about what is going on in the area of the Marcellus 

Shale, which is the perspective I am bringing to this hearing because I represent a state in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and 

I share some of the concerns that have been relayed to you by Dr. 

Summers about the potential risks as this Marcellus Shale is explored. 

Now, you have New York State, I believe Delaware and Maryland either have formal or sort of unofficial moratorium in place. 

West Virginia and Pennsylvania have moved ahead. In some instances I think there has been a kind of head-long rush by the industry to lay stakes in those areas. A lot of permits have been 

issued, and there are things that are happening, and I want to, I 

mean, Congressman Rohrabacher referred, Dr. Summers, to your 

perspective as an attitude that is problematic. 

I want to thank you for bringing a perspective that says we got 

to make sure this is done safely in an area where the technology 

is relatively new and in an area where there have already been 

some incidents that could cause real concern. 

So I would encourage the industry as we head into this discussion, I think it only would strengthen the position of the industry, 

and valid points have been made on behalf of the industry here 

today, to be absolutely transparent. 

The ranking Member has raised a couple of times the issue of the 

chemical additives and being completely transparent about that. I 

think if industry steps up and goes sort of beyond the call of duty 

in demonstrating that it is willing to be open and candid about 

what is involved in these processes, that puts you in a good position going forward in this discussion, because we all understand 

the promise of this and the potential benefits that it can yield. 

So let us do it right on the front end, and doing it right in places 

like Maryland and New York and Pennsylvania where this new 

discovery has raised great hope may involve some things that 

haven’t been part of the mix in other parts of the country. That is 

all I am saying. In many respects it is sort of apples and oranges. 

Dr. Summers, I am running out of time, of course, because I took 

the first four minutes just to say something, but let me ask you 

this question, and it goes, I think, to the importance of having 

some baseline perspective that the Federal Government can bring, 

and then obviously states can add layers of additional oversight 

and requirements if they feel that that is important. 
60 

But when I think of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, it knows no 

state boundaries. We are talking about six states and the District 

of Columbia that affect the health of the Chesapeake Bay, the tributaries that flow into it. 

And you just speak very briefly to why it is important to get a 

perspective that can cut across state lines, even as the states bring 

their own particular, you know, views to the table? Thank you. 

Dr. SUMMERS. Thank you. Not only do we share the quantity of 

water and I sit on our Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 

which regulates withdraws from the river, and we have been authorizing withdrawals from Marcellus Shale gas fracking in the 

basin, so we share the quantity of water, and that same water that 

is taken out there is critical for drinking water supplies and for the 

Chesapeake Bay, which receives 50 percent of its fresh water from 

the Susquehanna River. 

Similarly, the Potomac River is the water supply for Washington, 

D.C., and many communities in Maryland, and we need to make 

sure that whatever we do is fully protective of that, so not only the 

quantity of water but obviously the quality of water, and as I indicated there have been some spills, and the kinds of things that we 

say that we want to put in place before we move forward with hydraulic fracturing are exactly the kinds of protections and best 

management practices that it sounds like the other states in the 

west have been doing for years. 

So I think we need to gather that information. I appreciate Congressman Sarbanes’ remarks to that regard. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. 

Now recognize Dr. Harris, the gentleman from Maryland, for five 

minutes, maybe six minutes. 

Dr. HARRIS. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank 

you very much for holding this hearing because it is full of surprises. For instance, I am actually surprised to learn that there is 

actually no instance of drinking water having been contaminated, 

no known instance, because if you read the lay press and the environmental press, you would think it happened everywhere. 

So, Mrs. Jones, a question for you. So let me get it straight. In 

Texas this has been going on for years, I mean, the hydraulic fracturing, the—and you know, my analogy is to medical care. I mean, 

you know, if you have a medical procedure that has been going on 

for years and years and years, and you are going to find either a 

new location or a new application for it. It doesn’t mean that you 

have to forget your experience over all those years. 

So this has been going on for years in the State of Texas I take 

it. 

Mrs. JONES. Absolutely. Decades, Congressman. 

Dr. HARRIS. Okay, and my daughter actually goes to college in 

Dallas, and my understanding is Dallas sits in one of the areas of 

this shale formation, and when I flew there, over there, Dallas uses 

reservoirs, don’t they? For water. For drinking water. 

Mrs. JONES. Yes. I believe they do, but more Fort Worth, but, 

yes, in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. 

Dr. HARRIS. Yeah. The Dallas, Fort Worth area. 

Mrs. JONES. Absolutely. Yes. 
61 

Dr. HARRIS. So your concern would be exactly the same as any 

concern anywhere in the country with regards to the use of hydraulic fracturing in proximity to drinking water sources. 

Mrs. JONES. Absolutely. It doesn’t hold any water, if you would 

pardon—— 

Dr. HARRIS. Sure. No. I kind of get that. So, Dr. Summers, I am 

just puzzled, and you know, in the context of, you know, an executive branch versus legislative branch struggle, it just went on in 

the State of Maryland, because my understanding is the State of 

Maryland attempted to pass the House, lower House pass date a 

two-year study moratorium on hydraulic fracturing which the Senate did not agree to. 

Did the Department support that two-year moratorium? 

Dr. SUMMERS. Actually, sir, it was a two-phase study. Wells 

would be authorized after the first year. As I described in my testimony, we referred to them as exploratory—— 

Dr. HARRIS. Very limited numbers but did the Department support the moratorium? 

Dr. SUMMERS. Yes. 

Dr. HARRIS. So you had kind of the same—even in Maryland you 

had the same struggle between the executive branch and the legislative branch. 

Now, Dr. Summers, I have got to ask you because, you know, and 

I was concerned when I first read about what was going on in 

Pennsylvania, but, you know, you bring up the flow of the Potomac, 

you bring up the Potomac and other rivers. Let’s put it in perspective. It is up to three million gallons in one well. What is the flow 

rate of the Potomac River in a given day? 

Dr. SUMMERS. I don’t know, and—— 

Dr. HARRIS. Could you get back to me on that because I suspect—— 

Dr. SUMMERS. It is under—— 

Dr. HARRIS. Right, but even if, you know, my gosh, ten percent 

of the hydraulic fracturing fluid would flow right into the river, you 

would be measuring parts per billion, maybe parts per million of 

some of these things, and what is the largest spills that have occurred of raw sewage coming out of Baltimore into the bay? Because when I was on the Committee I recall spills of a quarter million gallons in one day. Is that right? 

Dr. SUMMERS. A quarter million sounds a little high but certainly 

millions of gallons have—sewage have been—— 

Dr. HARRIS. Right, and do we allow the sewage system to still 

exist in Baltimore City? Because this is a direct analogy. I mean, 

and I will tell you as a physician, I would almost rather, much 

rather drink a slight amount of drilling fluid, hydraulic drilling 

fluids, than I would—of this that was thrown into the bay. 

What has the Department done about the hundreds of thousands 

of gallons of raw sewage that flow into the bay out of the Baltimore 

City system? This Department that wants to put our economic vitality of the country at stake by limiting access to energy because 

that, you know, and, again, and I represent a part of the state like 

Western Maryland but it is economically disadvantaged. The Eastern part of the state that I represent has high unemployment or 

economic disadvantage, and what you are doing is by this policy 
62 

you are actually not only hurting that economically-disadvantaged 

part of the state, I think, and I agree with the Congressman from 

California, actually harming our economy and the country. 

So if you could just tell me what the Department has done for 

that—those sewage spills, which are known spills, have absolutely 

contaminated drinking water sources in the state. What do you do? 

Dr. SUMMERS. We have issued judicial consent decrees in conjunction with the Department of Justice and EPA. Baltimore City, 

specifically right now is spending over $1 billion to make corrections and upgrades to its system. Systems throughout the watershed all the way up the Susquehanna and the Potomac have very 

similar problems. It is a national issue, and we are taking very aggressive action to deal with that, and I am not suggesting that we 

can’t do Marcellus Shale gas development in Maryland. I am just 

suggesting that we need some more facts, and I think based on 

what I have heard today there is a lot of good information that 

ought to be able to help us move forward with this. It needs to be 

pulled together, though. 

Dr. HARRIS. Thank you very much, and I don’t have anymore 

time unless that 6-minute limit was there. I yield back. 

Chairman HALL. The chair now recognizes the gentleman from 

North Carolina, Mr. Miller, for six minutes. 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mrs. Jones, in your testimony you said that recently a French 

delegation had come to Texas to meet with your staff to hear all 

about fracking procedures, and they left very convinced, your testimony is, these foreign officials are already convinced of the benefits. They went back to France apparently saying we can’t wait to 

get back there so we can do more fracking. 

But there was an article in Bloomberg this morning, this morning, today, France should ban shale explorations on risk, minister 

says. And the minister is a minister of the environment. I will not 

attempt to pronounce the name because I would prove myself to be 

a bumpkin, which everyone knows anyway. 

But it says, ‘‘ I am against hydraulic fracking, we have seen the 

results in the U.S., they are risk for the water tables, and these 

risks we don’t want to take.’’ She said it was an error to have 

issued some exploratory permits, they should never have been 

granted—an environmental evaluation should have been done before giving permits and not after. She said it is a technology we 

haven’t totally mastered. There is only one technology that can be 

used today to produce shale gas, and that is hydraulic fracturing, 

and we don’t want it, and it violated the precaution prevention requirements of their environmental laws. 

Do you have any idea what happened after that delegation got 

back to France? 

Mrs. JONES. Excuse me, Congressman. Actually, they were there 

yesterday, and I was here, so I haven’t had the time to talk and 

find out how the meeting went, but I suspect that they—I can’t put 

words in their mouth, but as soon as I have the report back I will 

call you and let you know what their impression was. I can’t imagine that they were over trying to find out our protocols unless they 

had some interest in pursuing the same for their country. 
63 

Certainly I think France could benefit mightily from the production of their energy resources, and that brings me to something I 

think that is very interesting, and I would like to share with this 

Committee. 

Mr. MILLER. Well, actually, it is—— 

Mrs. JONES. We have had several delegations—— 

Mr. MILLER. Particularly on this point of the French delegation, 

but I would otherwise like to move on because I don’t have—— 

Mrs. JONES. Okay. Well—— 

Mr. MILLER. —that much time. 

Mrs. JONES. —anyway, we have a lot of delegations coming and 

going. 

Mr. MILLER. All right. Thank you. 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you. 

Mr. MILLER. Dr. Economides. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes, sir. 

Mr. MILLER. In your testimony or the shortened version, the one 

page summary, you said that pretty much anyone associated with 

the industry who were the only ones who really had expertise in 

the area, was immediately condemned as being an industry shill 

from having been in the industry. 

You mentioned a Duke study, and you were very critical of that 

study, and in general I would—generally I embrace anyone who 

criticizes Duke, but in this one case do you have any—do you fault 

the qualifications of those scientists at Duke who performed that 

study? Were they unqualified to do the study? 

And second, do you know of any economic interests they may 

have had that would have affected, might have affected their judgment? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. I do not know the people, I do not know their 

motives, but I do have some very serious reservations about their 

conclusions. If they were my students, I would give them an F. 

Mr. MILLER. Okay. Well, you did, again, that you—and I agree 

with you. I don’t think it is fair to say anyone who is associated 

with industry is an industry shill, but do you not think it is that 

the American people and Congress have a right to know if anyone 

offering expertise has a financial interest in the subject matter 

about which they are offering their expertise? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. No question about that. 

Mr. MILLER. Okay. Well, in your biographical sketch, your statement of economic interest for the Committee was unrevealing as 

they all are, but you say that you are—you have a faculty position 

at the University of Houston. Is that correct? And you are managing partner of Dr. Michael J. Economides Consultants, Inc. 

What percentage of your income comes from your faculty position 

and what comes from your consultancy? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. I get paid only $1 a year from the university. 

I give my salary back to the university. 

Mr. MILLER. Okay, and how much do you make from your consulting? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. You mean personally? 

Mr. MILLER. Yes. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. About a million dollars a year. 
64 

Mr. MILLER. Okay, and you say that your clients include national 

oil companies. What are those national oil companies? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. I am the senior advisor to Sinopec and CNOC 

to Chinese companies. I am the senior advisor to ENI, international oil company. I am—I work for two Australian oil companies on retainer. I work in Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, and 

Kazakhstan. 

Mr. MILLER. And what is the nature of the consulting that you 

provide them? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. I am a technical person. I am an engineer. I 

am the person that has written the textbooks on hydraulic fracturing. 

Mr. MILLER. Okay. So you are providing engineering expertise to 

companies doing fracking? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Fracturing. 

Mr. MILLER. Fracturing wells? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes. I have personally done more than 2,000 

fracturing jobs through the world. I am one of the first persons to 

start the fracturing on the wells in West Texas, so I have worked 

in 70 countries as I testified. 

Mr. MILLER. Okay. My light is red in error, but I will yield back 

the last 21 seconds of my time. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. 

The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. 

Neugebauer. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Thanks to Chairman Hall, and thank you for 

having this important hearing. 

Mrs. Jones, I think you wanted to enlighten the Committee on 

something that you started, and I would yield you some time to do 

that. 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you, Congressman, so much. 

We have missions, if you will, trade missions come over from all 

over the world to the Railroad Commission offices to see how we 

implement regulatory oversight of oil and gas operations, and in 

fact, I would like to extend the opportunity for those from Maryland, Dr. Summers, we may have some ideas that you might be 

able to apply on the ground in Maryland, because certainly it is 

true that we have had a lot of experience in doing this. 

But this natural gas, this new renaissance, if you will, and energy is not just for America. It is for the entire globe, Congressman 

Neugebauer, and it is very important, I believe, that other countries, in fact, can benefit from the energy security that their own 

natural gas resources under their ground might give them as well. 

So I would go so far as to say that natural gas is indeed a great 

development for America but also for the entire world as these people want to employ the great minds that we have here sitting at 

this table, in fact, for advice and to consult on how to safely and 

responsibly get their natural gas out. 

I would suggest also that there is not one size fits all as you all 

have seen. Certainly Maryland and the Marcellus has different 

challenges, and there are some challenges that they will have to 

meet that we don’t have here in Texas, and I am very cognizant 

of that, and I think the argument can be made that, in fact, yes, 

it is true, one size does not fit all, and that is why it is incumbent 
65 

upon the states to regulate their own patch, if you will, and Maryland will get put to speed, they will get the experience and the 

know how, you ought to be seeking the information from us, from 

your sister producing states now that you are going to become one. 

Welcome aboard, but you should be seeking our advice and other 

states in how you accommodate the groundwater or rather dispose 

of the flowback and how best practices are used. 

And so that is how states can work together. The Interstate Oil 

and Gas Compact Commission is there for us to work together. You 

might establish your own compact on your oil and gas drilling operations in the Chesapeake Basins. 

So I welcome the states, I welcome new kids on the block. I think 

it is exciting for America, and we serve to serve at the Railroad 

Commission, and I am not saying that we don’t need, they don’t 

need oversight. I am just repeating, and you certainly know full 

well from your home district, which is very important what we do 

to you all, that we must let the states regulate and oversee this 

process because only we know what is best for our citizens. 

Thank you. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Dr. Michael. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. I wasn’t going to try that last name because 

you probably won’t try my last name. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. It is all Greek to me. Don’t worry. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. I hear you. I hear you. Well, I knew you 

weren’t from East Texas, so I think that one of the most important 

things that you started off with, and you threw your presentation 

up there, but you said no frack, no gas. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Right. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. You know, and I think maybe it would be 

helpful for people just a little bit of time here left to talk about the 

geology and why that, the statement that you made is a true statement. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Okay. Most gas wells in the world are in what 

we call very low permeability formations. There is no difference between oil and gas. Gas has been older and broke down. Long hydrocarbons have become short, methane. And so the same reason that 

made it gas made also the rock very tight. So you cannot have economic production with what we call ready flow. It is very inefficient. 

Fracturing alters the way the fluid enters the well. We clear the 

reservoir. That is a hydraulic fracture. So if you do not fracture, 

you cannot produce gas. 

There is another problem with higher level complexity called turbulence effect. The higher the reservoir permeability, the gas jumps 

itself. It is almost like a lot of people trying to run out of a stadium 

that want to kill each other. That is the same thing that happens, 

and it commits suicide. 

So in other words we want to frack again to alleviate turbulence 

in high permeability reservoirs. So air forces the double negative. 

You cannot afford not to frack any gas well in the world and expect 

to make any money. 
66 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Thank you, and just one last question. You 

know, I think the chart that you put up there showing where the 

groundwater is in relationship—— 

Mr. ECONOMIDES. Right. 

Dr. NEUGEBAUER. —to where most gas wells—I think another 

thing that most people don’t realize is the depth of gas wells, but 

I am going to go back to Mrs. Jones just for a quick one. 

What do you think the average depth of a gas well in Texas is? 

Mrs. JONES. We have some that are over a mile deep, so it is geologically impossible for those fracks to get anywhere close to the 

water table in Texas. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. And just for the folks—— 

Mrs. JONES. About 10,000 feet deep. The Barnett Shale and the 

Eagle Ford Shale that is in South Texas that is producing oil, too, 

I want to reiterate that there is also an increase in oil production 

due to hydraulic fracturing as well. 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. I thank the Chairman for my six minutes. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Clark, is 

recognized for five minutes. 

Mr. CLARKE. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just, to any of the panelists, 

I come from Detroit. I represent metro Detroit. We are the home 

of the auto industry which is a very fuel-intensive industry which 

has innovated greatly in the last few years to power automobiles 

from energy sources, different energy sources, including natural 

gas. 

Now, there are concerns that hydraulic fracturing, and I’m looking at the whole process including, you know, well construction 

issues, could release contaminants into the air and the water. How 

do you believe that we can innovate in this area to reduce the likelihood of those contaminants getting into the air and water? How 

can we apply that same type of innovation to hydraulic fracturing 

so we can make this a more clean and green process? 

Dr. COOPER. I think the industry is actively engaging quite a bit 

to figure out many different innovative ways to clean up the water 

that has to be disposed on the surface. Now, I want to reiterate 

that in a lot of the United States, there is no reason to dispose of 

water on the surface. But in areas where it is necessary, or maybe 

there is some beneficial reason to put the water on the surface— 

you know, a lot of this so-called frack water, produced water, isn’t 

that far from a drinking water standard, and it can be cleaned up. 

So I would say that there are literally hundreds of entrepreneurs 

and a lot of very big companies that are working on a lot of different techniques to clean up water, and there are existing techniques that are very simple that have been used for decades. So a 

lot of action is happening there. 

I think in the air, pretty much the same story. It is a little harder to collect air, but it is definitely not so hard to figure out ways 

to reduce some of the major pollutants that might be going into the 

air. 

Mr. FITCH. If I could add, I know a lot of the service companies 

that conduct the hydraulic fracturing operations are working on 

greener additives. They are already making a lot of progress that 

way, and I think that is another area that could bear fruit. 
67 

Mr. CLARKE. Thank you. With the time that I have remaining, 

I would like to pose another question, and that comes from my review of the EPA’s draft plan to study the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, and this is the 

issue that was raised on page 49. It is not a technical, it is regarding environmental justice, and what I mean by that is how can we 

help minimize the environmental justice impact of hydraulic fracturing, meaning this, reduce the likelihood that poorer people or 

certain communities that have certain ethnic or racial populations 

are disproportionately impacted by the contaminants that they 

could be exposed to as a result of hydraulic fracturing? Let me illustrate the point clearly. In the area that I represent, we have got 

an incinerator, refinery, waste water treatment plant, and even 

though I represent Detroit in the suburbs, all of those facilities are 

located in Detroit in poor, African American areas. Those are my 

people that are being impacted by those operations. I just want to 

make sure that that doesn’t happen with hydraulic fracturing. 

Mr. FITCH. I would be glad to respond to that as a fellow Michigander. The real issue here is that natural gas is where nature 

puts it. You can’t move a well. You can move a well a certain, a 

little bit, but you know, not miles. You have to tap those reservoirs 

where they occur in nature. So I will say though that most—there 

is kind of a bias toward developing in more rural areas because it 

is lot easier to obtain land, it is a lot easier to obtain drilling sites. 

So there is kind of a natural mechanism there that would tend to 

move that kind of development out of the cites, out of the more 

built-up areas. 

Mr. CLARKE. Let me just for the brief time mention what my concern is. Typically because the drilling agreements are between the 

well operators and landowners, I am concerned that neighbors and 

tenants may not really have a voice in this process. 

Mr. FITCH. That is a part of the scheme of development of oil and 

natural gas. The people that own or control the mineral rights have 

a right to benefit from their development. I am not sure beyond 

that what the answer would be. 

Mr. CLARKE. Thank you. I yield back my limited time. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back his time. The Chair 

now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Smith. 

Mr. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I know 

you have already welcomed Elizabeth Ames Jones, our Texas Railroad Commissioner, to the Committee hearing today, but I would 

like to do so as well. 

Over the years, I have been her constituent, and she has been 

my constituent, so I am pleased to have her expertise available for 

Members right now. 

Mrs. Jones, I have a couple of questions for you. You mentioned 

in your written testimony, and I will quote you, ‘‘Our two main concerns about the EPA study are that it proposes to delve into areas 

beyond the reach of federal law and that it also proposes to study 

areas beyond the practice of hydraulic fracturing.’’ 

Mrs. JONES. Yes. 

Mr. SMITH. Could you go into more details about why you have 

those concerns? 
68 

Mrs. JONES. Yes, and thank you so much, Congressman. I will 

report back home how great it is to see you, to your family. 

It is called scope creep or mission creep, and the intent was first 

to study the effects on water. They are now supposedly going to be 

looking at more, in fact, upstream, well pad site, how water is procured by operators, so not just the hydraulic fracturing and any affect it might have anything, but in fact, if you will, the contract, 

the private contract between willing buyers and sellers on how to 

put a well together and how to drill a well. I think this is scope 

creep and it is not within the purview of the Federal Government 

or the EPA to, in fact, go that far, be that broad, if you will, and 

I have grave concerns about that. 

Mr. SMITH. Has the EPA asked you for your opinion or your 

input in any way considering the expertise you bring and considering the role of Texas in the production of oil and gas? 

Mrs. JONES. We have made comments. We have provided comments to this draft study for the EPA. We submitted, if you will, 

comments to that, and that would be the extent. We don’t get 

called and asked for our expertise often. 

Mr. SMITH. I assume that they have not addressed your concerns, 

is that correct as well? —— 

Mrs. JONES. No. 

Mr. SMITH. Mrs. Jones, I want to ask you another question, and 

this is actually a question we might ask the witness in the second 

panel, but I would like to get your opinion as well. 

You may or may not be aware of this, but the 2011 definition by 

the EPA of hydraulic fracturing is far broader than the 2004 definition of hydraulic fracturing that they used back then. We can find 

no basis whatsoever for this broadening of their definition, no basis 

in fact, no basis in any kind of a reputable source. I would ask you 

to speculate a little bit here, but why do you think the EPA would 

suddenly come up with such a broad definition of hydraulic fracturing that is broader than they have ever used before? 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you. I can only, or if it would not be too bold 

for me to assume, that they would like to expand their footprint 

when even since then, in 2004, the footprint of drilling operations 

gets smaller and smaller every year. Technology is used the way 

it is meant for. It allows the industry to go in with a smaller footprint and be more efficient and in fact efficient in water use that 

they need to frack a well, and we at the Railroad Commission look 

at pilot projects of water reuse and hope and encourage them to do 

that. The market affects that, and it is moving very quickly. Technology is moving quickly. They are getting smaller, their footprint 

is smaller, we encourage it. The EPA seems to want a larger footprint. 

Mr. SMITH. That is my explanation as well. Thank you, Mrs. 

Jones. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman from New Mexico, Mr. Luja ́n. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate all the witnesses’ time today as well. 

Mr. Chairman, based on the testimony that I heard today and 

that was filed, I would just like to ask the witnesses, and I appreciate your efficiency, Mr. Chairman, when you were able to get a 

yes or no answer, and I only strive to be able to live up to those 
69 

expectations, Mr. Chairman. So I will do my best to be like you, 

Ralph Hall, and see what we can do there, Mr. Chairman. 

But with that being said, Mrs. Jones, I appreciate you being here 

as well. Do you believe there are best practices that exist within 

hydraulic fracturing today across the country, but especially in 

Texas? 

Mrs. JONES. I do. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Dr. Summers, do you believe there to be best practices? 

Dr. SUMMERS. We do not have them in place for the Marcellus 

I believe, and as I have said, I think we need to look at other areas. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Mr. Fitch? 

Mr. FITCH. Yes, we do. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Dr. Cooper? 

Dr. COOPER. Yes, I believe so. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Dr. Economides, is that correct, sir? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Yes, of course. I mean, we do 80,000 fracturing 

jobs in the United States per year right now. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. With that being said, Mr. Chairman, do any of the 

witnesses believe that those best practices should be adopted? Commissioner Jones? 

Mrs. JONES. I think that one size does not fit all because the different areas of the country have different—even their road makeup, their population, their disposal of frack water. So I would like 

to help Maryland have a railroad commission of Maryland and just 

be able to regulate their industry so that they can reap the benefits 

like we have here in Texas. 

But what I am saying is that they have to look at the facts of 

what is really happening because if they don’t, they will be distracted, and there may be something that really does need attention. And so I think it is incumbent on public servants to look at 

the facts so that they are actually addressing a problem if it does 

exist and not basically just chasing rainbows. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. I appreciate that. Dr. Cooper, when you have teams 

that are training to do fracking jobs in different parts of the country, different parts of the world in our local areas, they train to do 

a fracking job, and they have standards that they operate under. 

Is that fair to say? 

Dr. COOPER. Yes. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. And so if we are talking about creating certainty for 

the industry, certainty across the country and also certainty with 

the workforce and the teams that I have seen move forward with 

this, does it make sense that we have standards so that way when 

they are drilling in Texas and they are fracking in different parts 

of the country, that they are able to know how to go in, do that 

most efficiently and make sure that they are protecting that 

groundwater as well? 

Dr. COOPER. I think we have very high standards, especially in 

New Mexico. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. So does it make sense that there should be some 

standards so that when those teams are fracking in Texas or 

fracking in New Mexico that they should live up to those same 

standards, even if they are minimum? 

Dr. COOPER. I think they already exist. 
70 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. So if there are already minimum standards, is there 

objection by any of the witnesses that we should adopt minimum 

standards that should be followed, at least a floor, across the country? Any objection? 

Dr. COOPER. I think we would prefer if the State of New Mexico 

regulated the State of New Mexico and the State of Texas regulates 

the State of Texas and on and on. 

Mr. FITCH. I would just like to add I think each state is best 

equipped to deal with the issues that are unique to their state. 

There are differences in terrain, differences in climate obviously, 

differences in the geologic formations where the gas occurs, and I 

think the states are best equipped to tailor their regulations to 

those specific instances. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Real quick there. In New Mexico, there are no direct 

fracking laws, but there is underground injection control law that 

prohibits drilling out of zone or into drinking water. Is that something that makes sense that should be adopted nationally? 

Mrs. JONES. I am perfectly comfortable with our Railroad Commission standards. I don’t need to adopt New Mexican standards 

for Texas. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. That is fair. I appreciate that, Commissioner. And 

Commissioner, the water that was talked about by the Chairman 

a bit ago in Texas where the EPA went in, did that meet safe 

drinking water standards when the EPA stepped in there? 

Mrs. JONES. Which water? 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. The water that you answered that there was no contamination—— 

Mrs. JONES. Oh, the Range Resources water. In fact, that water 

well owner—— 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Well, Mr. Chairman, if I may, Commissioner Jones, 

did that water meet safe drinking water standards? 

Mrs. JONES. It had gas in it before we even came into the picture. So he had already cut the pipe from his house and was not 

drinking from it. But several people do use it to water their lawn. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Commissioner, would you drink that water? 

Mrs. JONES. In fact, one of the homes did have a vent, and they 

were venting out the natural gas and using it. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. That is not my question. 

Mrs. JONES. If I was at their house and they served it to me? 

Yes, I would drink it. 

Mr. LUJA ́ N. Well, I have been around some areas that meet some 

safe drinking water standards that I wouldn’t drink and I wouldn’t 

want kids or nephews or nieces exposed to. The one thing I hope, 

Mr. Chairman, that we can agree on is that as we look as what 

needs to be done in this area, understanding the needs of what 

needs to be done to be able to take advantage of natural gas across 

the country, is understand that I don’t think there is any fault in 

trying to adopt some minimum standards at the very least. In New 

Mexico, several groups have gone forward and adopted some closedloop standards which I would look forward to hearing from some 

of the witnesses as well, Mr. Chairman, but I certainly hope that 

we can find some common ground on this and at least adopt some 

agreement to begin the conversation about adopting minimum 

standards as opposed to saying, you know, what is good for us is 
71 

not good for anyone else when we are looking at protecting our 

water as opposed to accommodating our water resources. Thank 

you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you. The Chair recognizes the gentlelady 

from Florida, Mrs. Wilson, for five minutes. 

Ms. WILSON. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and Ranking Member Johnson for holding this hearing. 

This is a question for all of the panelists. I am from Florida, and 

we had fallout from the BP tragedy, Deepwater Horizon tragedy. 

And that particular tragedy illustrated tremendous forces and inhospitable conditions in which modern-day deepwater drilling takes 

place as well as increased risk that comes with these activities. 

Equipment and operators must be up to the task with no room for 

error. In that case, they were not. 

We learned that relatively simple things such as greater automation and more monitoring to catch irregularities could prevent accidents. Just last month a blowout at a gas well in Pennsylvania 

demonstrated that these risks are not confined to the deepwater. 

In the business of hydraulic fracturing, what steps is industry taking to reduce and manage these risks; how are wells monitored, 

and are all wells monitored this way; and how do safety-related lessons learned in the off-shore industry transfer to the on-shore, unconventional sector and vice-versa? 

Mrs. JONES. Thank you, Congresswoman. I would like to say that 

unlike the Federal Government oversight of the off-shore, the Railroad Commission’s oversight of the Texas oil and gas operations 

has not generated such a traumatic event. And I would be willing 

also to work with BOEMRE and any other federal agency, formerly 

the Minerals Management Service, to apply the maximum standards that we use at the Railroad Commission to ensure the responsible operations. 

One of the things you mentioned, specifically, hydraulic fracturing. We have spacing rules that operators come in when they 

want to get a permit to drill a well, distance rules. Communities 

are putting in some of their own distance rules, but mainly our 

oversight is of the down hole and the disposal of any water that 

comes back. In our State, we have strict well casing rules to make 

sure that water cannot migrate out of the well. Cementing, they 

run cement logs. We have pages of rules and regulations to ensure 

responsible down-hole drilling operations of the industry, and we 

also want to make sure that people benefit who own the minerals. 

And now with urban-suburban drilling, there are a lot more people 

who are reaping the financial benefits because they own the minerals. But it is true, if they don’t own the minerals, sometimes they 

are inconvenienced by a well that might go in near to their neighborhood. But the severance tax that they pay off the top from that 

natural gas goes into state coffers and funds schools, permanent 

school fund to some extent, but a rainy-day fund primarily. And 33 

school districts are funded by the taxes of oil and natural gas production right off the top at the well head, for them in taxes and 

for the State as well. 

So we have a protocol in place that is ensuring that we maximize 

our resources, use them to the best of our ability and one of our 

mission statements is the protection of the environment as well. 
72 

And I can tell you, I remain vigilant every single day. In fact, I 

would prefer that Texans remain vigilant in Texas, and perhaps if 

the Federal Government had been as vigilant as we are, the BP accident or disaster would not have taken place. 

Chairman HALL. Yes? You yield back? 

Ms. WILSON. Want to respond? It was just thrown out there. 

Chairman HALL. Oh. 

Mr. FITCH. I could say a few words to that, I guess. I am not sure 

exactly the details behind that Pennsylvania blowout, but I think 

I can safely say it was not a fracturing issue, per se. It was a well 

control issue. You can have that with any kind of well, whether it 

is fractured or not. To echo Texas, the states do have safeguards. 

We require casing programs, blowout preventer programs to counteract those kinds of things. However, nothing is ever going to be 

totally risk free. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Let me, if I might, add a couple of comments 

here. First of all, fracking and drilling are not the same thing. People bunch them together. We drill wells, then we frack them. They 

are not connected as processes. 

There is no such thing as risk free. If you are familiar with the 

rule of nines, in other words, nine, nine, nine, nine, there is always 

one probability out there for something horrible to happen. 

In this respect, the oil and gas industry is one of the safest industries in the world, in spite of sensational accidents. You don’t 

stop flying because an airplane crashes, and the same thing, we 

don’t stop drilling for this very vital commodity, oil and gas, just 

because one errant well had an accident. 

Chairman HALL. Does the gentlelady yield back? 

Ms. WILSON. Mr. Chair, I don’t want to assume or give you the 

impression that we should stop because of one accident. However, 

my question was, what safeguards do you have in place to prevent 

accidents. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. Well, there are plenty of them. We are computer monitored in everything we do. We take great lengths to do 

measurements before and after any action we do. We take into account integrity of the well. We do everything in our power to prevent spills. We do everything in our power to prevent zonal communication with adjoining geological structures, let alone some things 

that are thousands of feet away. 

So in other words, the industry has no economic interest to be 

careless. The industry, on the contrary, environmental sensibilities 

notwithstanding, has a financial interest to do things right, and 

they do it right. 

Chairman HALL. The gentlelady’s time has expired. 

Ms. WILSON. Thank you, Mr. Chair. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you. Before we recognize the gentleman 

from Michigan, Mr. Benishek, I want to recognize our astronauts 

on the back stage there. I would like for you all to stand up and 

let us honor you from STS 133, you just landed when, yesterday 

or the day before? 

VOICE. We got back Saturday morning. 

Chairman HALL. Well, that is about how up to date I am. But 

we appreciate you very, very much. And you are the Columbuses 

and Magellans of space. We are proud of you. Thank you. And don’t 
73 

any of you come back and run against any of us in our district because you would get elected. 

Okay. The gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Benishek, is recognized. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Fitch is here from 

Michigan, and I think I will address this question to you. There 

have been numerous comments filed with the EPA including the 

Administration’s Department of Energy. They have pointed out 

that the EPA draft study does not objectively characterize the risk 

of this drinking water fracking in part because they selectively focused on cases that have had negative outcomes reported, although 

not necessarily confirmed. Do you agree with the concern that 

there is no quantitative analysis of the risk that may skew the results? 

Mr. FITCH. I do agree with that. I think any activity you look at 

out there you can find potential problems or actual problems, and 

by not putting it in context, I think it at least certainly lends itself 

to being misused by people who are opposed to energy development, and that would be our concern. I think it needs to be put in 

perspective. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you. Does anyone else on the panel have 

any other comments on sort of that line of thinking? 

Dr. COOPER. I think we are asked to quantify risk all the time, 

and I think it is a big glaring hole that EPA doesn’t seem to think 

that they need to quantify risk. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you very much, gentlemen. I yield back 

the remainder of my time. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. Dr. Broun, do you 

have questions? The gentlelady from California, Ms. Woolsey, is 

recognized for five minutes. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Congresswoman Woolsey does not have a question. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. Congresswoman Woolsey is recognized for six 

minutes. It doesn’t take her long to use up her six minutes. 

All right. I thank the witnesses for your very valuable testimony, 

and I thank the Members for their questions. We are going to now 

move to the second panel, and if Dr. Anastas takes his seat at the 

table—somebody call Dr. Anastas and tell him he is on. 

Dr. BROUN. Mr. Chairman? 

Chairman HALL. The Chair recognizes— 

Dr. BROUN. Before this panel leaves, I would like to ask a quick 

question, if I may. 

Chairman HALL. All right. You may. 

Dr. BROUN. I apologize for throwing the wrench in the works 

here while we are waiting for the next panel to come. 

I wanted to follow up on what Mr. Luja ́n was saying. I believe 

in the Constitution as our Founding Fathers meant for it to be, and 

Mr. Luja ́n is going down a track, talking about we needed to see 

up some federal minimum standards. And frankly, I think the 

states personally can set whatever standards are necessary to 

make improvements or protect the environment within their own 

states. Do any of the five of you see any necessity to having a federal standard or can you, within your own state, within your own 

purview, set up standards that are necessary to protect your own 
74 

state’s drinking waters and make sure that your citizens continue 

to be safe? Very quickly. 

Dr. SUMMERS. I believe we do need to have minimum standards 

and specifically in my testimony I mentioned the fact that we have 

interstate waters, and we need to make sure that all the states are 

doing at least minimal level of protection. 

Dr. BROUN. Can we do that through interstate cooperation instead of having some federal nexus here? 

Dr. SUMMERS. In fact we have the Susquehanna River Basin 

Commission which I mentioned that has representatives from all 

the states that share that watershed, and I believe that that works 

extremely well. But we don’t have that across the entire set of watersheds that impact Maryland. So in Maryland, I think that would 

work with the Environmental Protection Agency, Region III and 

the Chesapeake Bay Restoration has been a good example of how 

that federal work with the states can be very effective and productive. 

Dr. BROUN. Anybody else, very quickly? Mrs. Jones? Go ahead. 

Mrs. JONES. I would say no, that we can, the State of Texas, can 

certainly and has already developed minimum and they are quite 

stringent minimum standards. And thank you, Congressman, because I don’t see anywhere in the Constitution where the authority 

to do this was delegated to the Federal Government. And I think 

that the states can regulate their own energy patch just fine—we 

have also worked with the EPA, and I think that Maryland, I look 

forward to helping to craft a compact where they can regulate their 

energy resources, too. We can share knowledge and certainly are 

just a phone call away. 

Dr. BROUN. Anybody else want to comment? 

Mr. FITCH. I would say from my perspective, each state is fully 

capable and has the necessary authority to properly regulate oil 

and gas, all aspects, including hydraulic fracturing. We do cooperate among the states. The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission is one very good vehicle for that, and we would welcome 

Maryland’s stronger involvement in IOGCC, and we would be glad 

to help share some of our expertise in that area. 

I mentioned I am a member of the board of Stronger, Incorporated. We review states on a voluntary basis for their regulatory 

programs against a set of guidelines, and as I said, we just completed this year review of four states’ hydraulic fracturing programs to, you know, give some assurance that they meet minimum 

standards. 

Dr. BROUN. Anybody else want to comment? I thank you all for 

the quick answers, and thank you for coming back on the panel. 

But I want to say this. Our Federal Government has gotten too 

large. We are spending too much money. We are interfering with 

state business too much. We need to go back to the original intent 

of the Constitution which means very limited government. The 

Constitution only authorizes the Federal Government to be involved in national defense, national security and foreign affairs 

predominantly. There are a few other things constitutionally that 

we have authority to do, and it is not in our purview to interfere 

with what the states are doing. There is a state DEP in every state 

of this country that is engaged in trying to protect the citizens of 
75 

that state, and I applaud what you all are doing, and I encourage 

you to continue to do so and thank you for your testimony. Thank 

you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Would the gentleman yield? 

Dr. BROUN. Certainly to you. I will always yield. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Well, while we were going through the hearing here, I went out and had to get a hamburger. Now, what I need 

to know is if we keep obstructing the development of energy, and 

especially this new opportunity we have through fracking, do you 

think the price of these hamburgers are going to go up for ordinary 

people? Is that what it is all about? I think it is. If we are going 

to be sucking wealth out of our country and having to send it overseas, eventually we are going to have to spend more money for 

what we get here. 

So Mr. Chairman, I really took to heart what our colleague from 

Michigan was talking about when he said he was talking about the 

poor people who live in his area and how they are severely impacted by various uses of energy. Let me just note. We have more 

and more poor people and fewer and fewer hamburgers for us to 

eat if we don’t develop our own energy resources. There is a direct 

relationship. Yes, no fracking, no gas. No gas, no prosperity. No 

prosperity, no jobs, no good life for the American people. 

So thank you all for your testimony. Thank you, Mr. Chairman 

for leading this effort. 

Chairman HALL. Are you going to eat all that hamburger and not 

even offer us a bite? 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. These are my carbs. It has something to do 

with sunshine and gas—— 

Dr. BROUN. All right. I will reclaim my time, Mr. Chairman, and 

I yield it back. 

Chairman HALL. I once again thank the panel and the Members 

for their questions, and we have our second panel now. Dr. 

Anastas, please take your seat at the table. 

You folks are welcome to stay, and the seats are set aside for you 

back there. 

Before getting settled, I would like to recognize a couple of people 

that I am honored to have in presence here. Mr. Howard Zelkiv, 

Rock Wall and Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce and Association 

of Realtors and have Mrs. Pat Bell who is a leader in the field of 

education in Paris, Texas, in that area. Glad to have both of you 

there. Thank you. 

Dr. Anastas, are you ready to roll? 

Mr. ANASTAS. Yes. 

Chairman HALL. All right. A reminder to you that your testimony is limited to five minutes after which Members will have five 

minutes each to ask questions. I now recognize our first and only 

witness for this panel, Dr. Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator 

for the EPA, Office of Research and Development and science advisor to EPA, for five minutes, sir. 
76 

STATEMENT OF DR. PAUL ANASTAS, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, U.S. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

Dr. ANASTAS. Good morning, Chairman Hall, and Members of the 

Committee. My name is Paul Anastas, and I am the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development of the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency. 

I want to say on a personal level how happy I am to be here before this Committee. I have appeared before this Committee on numerous occasions, and I believe you know, Mr. Chairman, that they 

have always been useful and productive. And so I appreciate the 

opportunity to be here today. 

Let me begin by saying that natural gas is an abundant source 

of domestic energy. However, as everyone can agree, we must ensure that its extraction is done in a way that does not contaminate 

the Nation’s drinking water supplies. 

Last year, in response to Congress and citizens across the country, EPA began designing a scientifically rigorous study on potential linkages between natural gas extraction through hydraulic 

fracturing and drinking water contamination. Consistent with advice provided by the Science Advisory Board at the U.S. EPA, in 

June of 2010 the scope of EPA’s proposed research plan spans the 

full life cycle of water used in hydraulic fracturing activities from 

its acquisition to chemical mixing, fracturing and post-fracturing 

and its ultimate treatment and disposal. This full life-cycle approach is necessary to identifying and understanding all of the factors that may impact the water quality of drinking water supplies 

across the United States. 

As we move ahead with the scientific process, we will adhere to 

two basic principles. First, our work will be driven by sound 

science. EPA has never and will never presuppose the outcome of 

any research effort. As this study progresses, we will rely only on 

sound scientific data and results to draw conclusions. Additionally, 

the draft study plan includes EPA’s rigorous quality assurance requirements and upholds the highest standard of scientific integrity, 

a principle that is central to all of this agency’s scientific work. 

[The EPA Draft Plan can be accessed at EPA/600/D-11/001/ 

February2011/www.eps.gov/research.] 

Let me also be very clear. The new pertinent science from any 

and all scientific sources will be considered by EPA if it is independent and peer-reviewed. 

Second, it is my firm belief that when citizens voice their concerns through their elected officials, it is the duty of public servants to address them in an open and transparent way. To this end, 

EPA is directly engaging stakeholders and technical experts 

throughout the course of the design of this study and the implementation of this study. For example, we have held a series of 

webinars for state, federal and tribal stakeholders which have 

drawn representatives from 21 states as well as the Association of 

State Drinking Water Administrators, the Association of State and 

Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators, the Groundwater Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact 

Commission. 
77 

We also held webinars with representatives from industry and 

non-governmental organizations to discuss public engagement process, the research study scope, data sharing and other issues of interest. In total, 64 individuals from NGOs and 176 individuals from 

natural gas production and service companies and industry association have participated in these webinars. 

In the summer of 2010, EPA also held four public information 

sessions in Ft. Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; and Binghamton, New York. More than 3,500 individuals 

attended these sessions, provided more than 700 verbal comments 

and over 5,000 electronic and written comments. In addition, between February and March of 2011, EPA held a series of technical 

workshops with experts from industry and academia to discuss 

chemical and analytical methods, well construction and operations, 

fate and transport, and water resources management. More than 

160 experts participated in these workshops, and all of these associated, meeting agendas, presentations, and proceedings can be 

found on the EPA web site. 

As the fracturing study progresses and results become available, 

we will continue to provide updates and invite stakeholder input on 

technical issues of concern. Their feedback is always welcome. 

Mr. Chairman, this study is, first and foremost, about obtaining 

the knowledge to protect the American people and their environment. We are pursuing this work with the best available science 

and the highest level of transparency. As is our duty, we will conduct and present this study to the American people in the same, 

unbiased scientifically rigorous manner which we carry out all of 

our work. 

I look forward to keeping this Committee updated on all of our 

progress, and thank you for the opportunity to appear before you 

today. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Anastas follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. PAUL ANASTAS, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, OFFICE OF

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Good morning Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Johnson, and other members of 

the Committee. My name is Paul Anastas. I am the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development (ORD). It is a pleasure to be here with you this morning 

to discuss the EPA Office of Research and Development’s Research Plan to Study 

the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. 

In its FY2010 Appropriations Committee Conference Report, Congress directed 

EPA to study the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water. In 

response to this request, and interest by stakeholders, EPA is undertaking a study 

to understand the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. As Congress requested, the study will use the best available science and 

independent sources of information. We will undertake the study using a transparent, peer-reviewed process and will consult with stakeholders throughout the 

study. Produced responsibly, natural gas has the potential to reduce green house 

gas emissions, stabilize energy prices, and provide greater certainty about the future 

energy reserves. 

The study is designed to examine the conditions that may be associated with the 

potential contamination of drinking water resources, and to identify the factors that 

may lead to human exposure and risks. The scope of the proposed research includes 

the full lifespan of water in hydraulic fracturing, from acquisition of the water, 

through the mixing of chemicals and actual fracturing, to the post-fracturing stage, 

including the management of flowback and produced water and its ultimate treatment and disposal, an approach EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) agreed was 

appropriate in their June 2010 review. 
78 

EPA recognizes that there are important potential research areas related to hydraulic fracturing other than those involving drinking water resources, including effects on air quality, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem impacts, seismic risks, occupational risks, and public safety concerns. 

The SAB reviewed the draft plan on March 7–8, 2011. Consistent with the operating procedures of the SAB, an opportunity was provided for the public, including 

affected stakeholders, to provide comments for the SAB to take into account during 

their review. The Agency will consider all of the public comments, revise the study 

plan in response to the SAB’s report and begin full implementation of the plan. A 

first report of research results is expected by the end of 2012. Certain portions of 

the work will be longer-term projects that are not likely to be finished at that time. 

An additional report of study findings will be published in 2014 after these longerterm projects are completed. 

We are now in the final stages of evaluating and selecting candidate field locations for retrospective and prospective case studies. Retrospective case studies provide an opportunity to investigate instances where concerns about drinking water 

have been reported, and to determine whether and to what extent any impacts may 

be associated with hydraulic fracturing. Prospective case studies will allow us to observe modern hydraulic fracturing practices and gather data uniquely available during this process, such as samples of flowback and produced water. 

In addition to case studies, our research will include analysis of data from many 

sources, including industry and the states, along with laboratory studies and modeling to assess a range of conditions under which hydraulic fracturing takes place. 

Stakeholder Input 

Stakeholder input has played, and will continue to play, an important role in the 

hydraulic fracturing study. We have implemented a strategy that engages stakeholders and technical experts in dialogue and provides opportunities for input on the 

study scope and case study locations. We have held webinars with stakeholders, including representatives from 21 states as well as the Association of State Drinking 

Water Administrators, the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators, the Ground Water Protection Council, and the Interstate Oil 

and Gas Compact Commission. In addition, we have held webinars with representatives from industry and from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss the 

public engagement process, the scope of the study, coordination of data sharing, and 

other key issues. Overall, webinar participants have included 176 individuals from 

various natural gas production and service companies and industry associations, as 

well as 64 individuals from NGOs. 

EPA held public information meetings between July and September, 2010, in Fort 

Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; and Binghamton, New 

York. At these meetings, EPA presented information on the Agency’s reasons for 

studying hydraulic fracturing, an overview of what the study might include, and 

how stakeholders could be involved. Opportunities to present oral and written comments were provided. Total attendance for all of the information public meetings exceeded 3,500, and more than 700 oral comments were heard. EPA also provided 

stakeholders with opportunities to submit electronic or written comments on the hydraulic fracturing study and received over 5,000 comments. 

In February and March 2011, EPA held a series of four technical workshops with 

experts from industry, academia and others to discuss chemical and analytical 

methods, well construction and operations, fate and transport, and water resource 

management. More than 160 experts from industry and academia participated in 

these workshops. The information shared during these workshops will be very useful to EPA in the conduct of the study. In the interest of transparency, the agendas, 

presentations, and proceedings will be posted on EPA’s web site. 

As the research progresses and results become available, we will engage stakeholders by providing updates and receiving input on technical issues of concern. 

Coordination with Other Federal Agencies 

EPA has been actively consulting with several key federal agencies regarding research related to hydraulic fracturing. We have met with representatives from the 

Department of Energy (DOE), including DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory; the US Geological Survey; the US Army Corps of Engineers; and other agencies to identify opportunities for collaboration and leveraging of resources. Federal 

agencies have also commented on the draft study plan through an interagency review process. 

Scientific Integrity 

As noted in EPA’s draft study plan, all EPA-funded research projects, whether 

conducted by EPA scientists or extramural cooperators, will comply with the most 
79 

rigorous level of the Agency’s Quality Assurance (QA) requirements. This will include, for example, technical system audits, audits of data quality, and data quality 

assessments; performance evaluations of measurement systems; and QA review of 

products. The scientific integrity of our research will be further ensured through the 

peer review of our research results. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, I want to assure the members of this committee and others that 

this study will be conducted through a transparent, peer-reviewed process in consultation with other Federal agencies as well as appropriate State and interstate 

regulatory agencies. 

I look forward to working with the Committee to address current and emerging 

environmental problems that will help our Agency protect the environment and 

human health. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. 

Chairman HALL. I thank you, sir, and I remind Members again, 

Committee rules limit questioning to five minutes. At this point I 

will open a round of questions by recognizing myself for five minutes. 

Dr. Anastas, you know that I don’t agree with you about 90 percent of the time, don’t you? You understand that? And you are willing to come and testify here, and I thank you for that. 

Dr. ANASTAS. I certainly am. Thank you, Chairman. 

Chairman HALL. I find it interesting that the Department of Energy has filed comments with EPA that were clearly critical of the 

draft plan. You are aware of that, aren’t you? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I am. 

Chairman HALL. Specifically DoE said EPA’s scope will not objectively characterize risk ‘‘given that the retrospective case study 

methodology will selectively focus on cases for which there have 

been negative outcomes. There is concern that the study may not 

adequately represent the overall risk presented by hydraulic fracturing’’ the comment says. 

So Doctor, I guess I ask you, what is your response to these comments from DoE? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I think it is important to recognize what this study 

is intended to do. This study is intended to understand the factors 

that potentially could result in impact to drinking water from hydraulic fracturing operations. When we are saying that we want to 

understand the factors, that is, trying to understand the factors 

that are the basis of whether or not a risk exists. This study is not 

intended to be a risk assessment. This study is not intended to assume that there is a risk. This study is intended to understand 

whether or not the factors are present that would result in a potential impact to drinking water. 

Perhaps I could explain even further. 

Chairman HALL. All right. 

Dr. ANASTAS. In order for there to be a risk—— 

Chairman HALL. You have not made me understand it yet but 

go ahead. 

Dr. ANASTAS. In order for there to be a risk, there needs to be 

the elements of both hazard and exposure. Those are the factors 

that we are seeking to understand. Are there hazards that could 

impact the drinking water and is there exposure? The results of 

those two elements are what would cause a risk, and we are not 

presupposing the outcome of this study in order to do a risk determination. 
80 

Chairman HALL. Do you agree or disagree with the DoE comments? I can’t tell. 

Mr. ANASTAS. Let me be clear. The DoE comments are saying 

that this study does not conduct a risk assessment. I am saying 

that this study is not a risk assessment. 

Chairman HALL. You disagree with them? 

Dr. ANASTAS. Yes. 

Chairman HALL. Okay. That is what I wanted to hear you say. 

Your EPA research office is responsible, are they not, for carrying 

out this study, your office? 

Dr. ANASTAS. That is correct. 

Chairman HALL. And it seems strange that all of the online materials and information related to this study are located on EPA’s 

Office of Water website. Why is that? They are responsible for 

water-related regulations. 

Mr. ANASTAS. We want to make the information available and 

easy to find. We can certainly have a mirror website say where 

people could go to either, but I think the most important thing is 

to make sure that the information is available to the American people. 

Chairman HALL. Who carries out the study? I would expect this 

study to be carried out by scientists whose job it is to focus on research, which are a research. 

Dr. ANASTAS. That is correct. The study will be carried out—— 

Chairman HALL. Not by people whose job it is to regulate, and 

I don’t really consider you regulators. 

Dr. ANASTAS. That is correct. This study will be carried out by 

scientists. 

Chairman HALL. With that in mind, please describe the division 

of labor between your office and the Office of Water. I would like 

to know who makes these decisions. 

Dr. ANASTAS. These decisions and this study is being carried out 

by the Office of Research and Development. 

Chairman HALL. Approximately how many staff within each office will be dedicated to that effort? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I will have to get back to you on the exact number 

of staff because that is not a number that I have at my fingertips, 

sir. 

Chairman HALL. All right, sir. In question, two, of the invitation 

letter which I have here, I ask you if you would allow for public 

comment on the revised study plan so after the Science Advisory 

Board provides comments and recommendations, EPA is going to 

revise the study plan. At that time, will you allow for public comment at that point, the revised plan? 

Dr. ANASTAS. We are certainly going to have continued engagement on the plan and will be responsive to the public comments 

that were accepted by the Science Advisory Board. 

Chairman HALL. You will have engagement. That is not what I 

asked you. Will you allow for public comment? 

Dr. ANASTAS. We will accept public comment in the meetings 

that we have with stakeholders and the dialog and the updates 

that we provide to stakeholders, certainly. 

Chairman HALL. Okay. That is a yes. 
81 

Dr. ANASTAS. Public comment in the framework of a Scientific 

Advisory Board meeting is a very formal mechanism. What I am 

saying is that we certainly will accept comment in the interactions 

that we have on the updates and the ongoing updates, informing 

the American public of the progress. 

Chairman HALL. Would that be formal public comment in the 

Federal Register? 

Dr. ANASTAS. No, there will not be a Federal Register. Those will 

be direct interactions. 

Chairman HALL. I am told my time is up. The Chair recognizes 

Mr. Wu, Ranking Member Mr. Wu, from Oregon. 

Mr. WU. Yes, sir. 

Chairman HALL. I zigged pretty good, didn’t I? I almost said you 

were from Washington. You are recognized for five minutes. 

Mr. WU. You did fantastic, sir. Thank you very much. Appreciate 

it. 

Chairman HALL. I am doing better. 

Mr. WU. Well, this Administration recognizes the need to obtain 

energy from all sources, including natural gas, and it has established the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board to also establish a 

Subcommittee to examine more closely the set of hydraulic fracturing issues. 

First of all, is EPA supportive of this initiative and secondly, how 

does EPA intend to put together its work and recommendations 

with the work of that body? 

Dr. ANASTAS. This study plan is being carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency, but we recognize that other agencies 

have important roles to play, important interests, and certainly the 

Advisory Board put together by DoE to inform best practices is 

something that we do support. And we always seek to work very 

closely with our other agency partners across the Federal Government. 

Mr. WU. Dr. Anastas, can you describe to me the process that 

you have gone through and also the extent to which you have 

sought stakeholder input from all sources? 

Dr. ANASTAS. Yes, one of the things that was a hallmark of putting together this study plan was in order to engage technical experts from industry, from academia, certainly in coordination with 

other governmental, other federal agencies. We also wanted to 

make sure that we allowed for input from the public. That is why 

these workshops that were held around the country where we had 

thousands of people come in in order to provide input and provide 

their perspectives on the study design, that is why we went to the 

Science Advisory Board in order to seek their input, both on the 

initial structure of the study as well as the current review that is 

currently taking place on this study. So we went through a very 

rigorous process in order to seek out input from all quarters. 

Mr. WU. Okay. Very good. One final, more focused, narrowing to 

one area, an investigation of the Commerce Committee found that 

potentially millions of gallons of diesel fuel are used in fracking 

wells. Does EPA know how much diesel is currently being used, 

where it is being used and where it goes? And do you think that 

those doing the fracking are doing what they need to properly take 

care of this downstream from the actual useful use of diesel? 
82 

Dr. ANASTAS. Thank you for asking that question. It is a very important question of regulatory concern. I know that this is one that 

the EPA is actively engaged in. As you know, I am in the Office 

of Research and Development, so I will be happy to get more information on that regulatory question back to you, Congressman. 

Mr. WU. Thank you very much, Dr. Anastas. Mr. Chairman, I 

have no further questions at this point. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California, Mr. Rohrabacher. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am 

done with my cheeseburger, so I am ready. What we are talking 

about here is not just a scientific study by the EPA. What most of 

us are worried about is a centralization of power being justified by 

unelected and unattached decision-makers in the EPA and 

throughout the bureaucracy. 

Again, in your testimony as in the testimony of one of the witnesses before, you mentioned the word drinking water numerous 

times. 

Dr. ANASTAS. Correct. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Numerous times. 

Dr. ANASTAS. Correct. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. The other witness was unable to give us an 

example of one. Maybe you have several examples of where the 

drinking water has been compromised due to fracking. 

Dr. ANASTAS. The way that we are able to answer questions like 

that is by asking the tough question scientifically in making these 

determinations. 

The reason that we carry out these studies is to be able to give 

you a reliable and certain answer. In the absence of these studies, 

in the absence of these measurements and monitoring, the confidence that anyone has in giving you an answer to that question 

is compromised. And so we ask the scientific questions in order to 

give solid answers, rather than—— 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. You just rush forward without any examples 

and you think that we have unlimited resources and we are just 

going to go out there until every question is answered? Doesn’t 

there have to be some reason behind it, some malady, some group 

of deaths or something? Aren’t there enough things to study in the 

United States where we can pinpoint that there is a threat because 

there have been incidents where people have been hurt without 

having to go to things that you can’t even give us one example of 

where there has been harm cased by human beings in their drinking water due to fracking? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I appreciate the question, but when the American 

people, through their elected representatives in Congress, direct 

the U.S. EPA to address concerns and to undertake a scientific 

study and direct us to investigate if there is any link between hydraulic fracturing operations and drinking water, we take that 

charge very seriously. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. The American people didn’t mandate this. 

You have got a bunch of bureaucrats and left-wingers from universities who make their living trying to scare the American people 

into thinking there are problems. At least you would have some 
83 

kind of evidence, something that has happened that would indicate 

there is a major threat. How much is that study going to cost? 

Dr. ANASTAS. When the American people and when the Congress 

directs us to undertake a study—— 

Chairman HALL. Just answer his question. How much does it 

cost? 

Dr. ANASTAS. In fiscal year 2010, we had $1.9 million budgeted and fiscal year 2011, it was $4.3 million, in the President’s budget 

request. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay. And how long will it take and how 

much is it expected to cost? 

Dr. ANASTAS. The initial results of the study are expected by the 

end of 2012. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay, and how much is the end result going 

to cost? 

Dr. ANASTAS. The end result at the end of the entirety of the 

study will be approximately $12 million. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay. So you have focused in, you have com- mitted time of your scientists and $12 million of money without 

having one example that indicates that we are at risk. 

Dr. ANASTAS. The Environmental Protection Agency has followed 

the direction of Congress to investigate—— 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Well, the answer is yes, okay? Fine. Thank 

you. If you can’t give us an example of where fracturing is actually 

in some way compromised the drinking water, can you give us an 

example of where the states that are regulating this have failed in 

their responsibility to their people and thus this centralizing of 

power in the Federal Government and yes, non-elected officials in 

Washington would be justified? 

Dr. ANASTAS. The study that we are undertaking is not a regulatory study. This is not a—— 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Okay, so you don’t have any examples where 

the regulation of—yeah, it is not a study, but you as an individual, 

you are a decision-maker. You are talking to the decision-makers 

here. You should certainly know the history of what is going on 

around the country and/or give us some examples of where there 

is a threat in order to justify committing a large amount of your 

personnel and $12 million over a five-year period. And there are 

just no examples of failure at the state level and no examples of 

even where there has been a compromise of the drinking water. 

Mr. Chairman, there is something motivating this going forward 

in this area. What is motivating this? Aren’t there other areas that 

you have to choose from that, you know, people are actually out 

there being threatened by chemicals? There are a lot of chemical 

problems in urban America that you can focus on. And by the way, 

they are very easy to prove. I mean, it is very easy to prove that 

chemicals are a problem to our health in Southern California, what 

we breathe in, okay? There is instance of that. But yet you have 

committed yourself to spending the money on something that we 

don’t have any examples of where it has actually affected anyone’s 

health. 

Dr. ANASTAS. The Environmental Protection Agency is taking on, 

as you are well aware, a wide-range of issues to protect human 

health and the environment, including some of the air-quality 
84 

issues. What this study, at the direction of Congress, has undertaken is to determine if there are factors that could cause potential 

harm to humans or the environment. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Yes, if there are—— 

Dr. ANASTAS. Specifically, our drinking water. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. And there are probably thousands of other 

things that we could say, what is there potential harm in, mountain climbing? Is there a potential harm in manufacturing baby 

clothing? But yet you have chosen—— 

Chairman HALL. Surfing. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. One last note and that is our country is being 

strangled. The reason why our people are living worse off now than 

they were ten years ago, and people can’t get good jobs, is we are 

sending wealth out of our country, a trillion dollars a year. Industry is being strangled. Our way of life is being strangled because 

we are not being permitted the energy we need to have prosperity 

in this country, and the frivolous nature of just giving scientists, 

go out and see if you can find something that will permit us to stop 

energy production, because that is what this is all about, and I am 

happy to see that Congressman Hall is having this hearing so we 

can express that. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman’s time has expired. The Chair 

recognizes Mrs. Woolsey of California for five minutes. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Pronounced Wool-sey, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, 

Doctor, for being here. You are doing great. I think you are aware 

and you knew before you even got here that good science isn’t always the basis of our decisions on the Science Committee. I think 

that is weird, but it is true. 

So you know, motivation, okay? The motivation for this study is 

a bunch of citizens, scientists concerned about a process that we 

don’t know enough about in this country. So maybe could you outline a little bit about what those concerns were from your perspective that led the Congress to direct this study, and why the 2004 

report of little or no threat to water supplies really wasn’t enough. 

Dr. ANASTAS. Okay. The 2004 report really did focus on coal bed 

methane extraction. It was significantly different in terms of the 

type of operations, the depths of the operations, the nature of the 

drilling. And it was, rather than a field and laboratory study, far 

more of a survey of the existing knowledge, not as in depth as certainly what is being planned with this focus study. 

The nature of the concerns and the questions that are raised 

both by people to the Congress and what they expressed as well as 

in the workshops and meetings that the EPA conducted over the 

months were questions whether or not there was contamination of 

drinking water due to fracturing operations, that contamination 

could take the form of methane in the drinking water, could take 

the form of hydraulic fracturing fluids in the water and those concerns are what have been raised, and I think that is why we asked 

the questions in order to answer those and assure the American 

public of the safety of their drinking water while we pursue the extraction of domestic energy resources. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Well, you probably already have your opinions, 

but the science of the study is what is going to drive the results 
85 

in your report. It is not your opinion as a scientist or the Committee’s opinion? 

Dr. ANASTAS. Absolutely, and I think that is an important point 

to emphasize. It would be antithetical to a scientific approach to 

presuppose, predetermine or in any way bias the outcome of this 

study. In order to assure the American public that the results of 

this study is credible, we need to ensure that this maintains scientific integrity throughout all of the conduct, the design and the 

conduct of this study. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. So the American public, the American public, you 

know, I mean, not the people sitting up here that still don’t have 

enough information to make these decisions without good base 

study behind it, but the American public, they aren’t worried about 

this yet, but they will certainly be worried about it if they start 

having traces of poisons and problems in their drinking water. And 

is not this study to prevent something from happening, then the 

American public will stand up and roar and what is the matter 

with you idiots on the Science Committee? You don’t protect us. So 

isn’t that what EPA is about? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I believe that certainly there is every opportunity 

for this study to clarify and give knowledge and insight about the 

operations so that the American people can be confident that their 

drinking water is pure and uncontaminated, and I think that it is 

studies like this that give the American people that confidence. 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Well, I thank you very much. I yield back. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you. The gentlelady yields back. The 

gentleman from Maryland, Dr. Harris is recognized for five minutes. 

Mr. HARRIS. Thank you very much. Thank you, Dr. Anastas, for 

coming to testify. I have got a question. I guess the background is 

that back in the fiscal year 2010 budget I guess there was some 

kind of language suggesting the EPA study, but it left the scope of 

the study or I guess the need for an in-depth study totally up to 

the EPA. Is that right, given the language? I don’t have the exact 

language in front of me. 

Dr. ANASTAS. The report language did talk about the connection 

between hydraulic fracturing operation and—— 

Mr. HARRIS. And drinking water. Correct. So the EPA could have 

come back and just said, you know, we have investigated and there 

has been no case ever of known contamination of drinking water 

from hydraulic fracturing which has gone on for years and years 

and years. I mean, that is one possible outcome of the EPA evaluation. They could have done a retrospective review of all the reported cases and said actually, it has never been proven that any 

drinking water has been contaminated by it. Is that—— 

Dr. ANASTAS. I believe to have that kind of unilateral determination without tapping into the type of expertise we did without review by the Science Advisory Board may have been highly questioned. 

Mr. HARRIS. Well, the Science Board could have done it that way. 

And the reason is because, you know, in medicine, and I have done 

medical research, I mean there is this thing called the index case. 

It is usually what brings something to people’s attention. In the absence of an index case, it is a shotgun approach for anything, and 
86 

I will give you an example. I mean, you know, I could say, you 

know, there is a group of people, you know, very concerned about 

aspirin. I mean, my gosh, and maybe I should write a letter to the 

EPA or maybe we should stick in some budget language, the FDA 

ought to study aspirin. And I would come back and say, let me tell 

you something. It has been around for a long time, and sure, there 

are possible potential—in fact, aspirin is a bad example because 

there are kind of bad things that can happen with aspirin, but you 

know, the lack of an index case is very puzzling to me. And it begs 

the question, was the question framed in such a way that you have 

to go after potential impacts or was the question framed in such 

a way you could say, you know what we are going to do? We are 

going to look for an index case, and in the absence of an index case, 

we are going to say that we really should defer the expenditure of 

$12 million, money we don’t have, money we have to borrow from 

the Chinese to fund this study. 

So was that one possible outcome? I mean, the Science Advisory 

Board could have said, you know, we are going to search for an 

index case, but in the absence of an index case, what are we looking for? 

Dr. ANASTAS. It is an excellent question, Congressman. I have to 

say that the reason that we ask the hardest questions and seek 

this knowledge is to give the American people confidence in the—— 

Mr. HARRIS. Okay. I hate to stop you there, but I only have two 

more minutes. Wouldn’t the American people have confidence if the 

EPA came out and said, you know what? We have looked into every 

reported potential case, and there is no case of drinking water contamination because that is striking to me, that one result of this 

hearing is that we have confirmed and you are kind of confirming 

and you know, the head of the Maryland Department of Environment who, in fact, you know, went to the Maryland legislature to 

attempt to also promote a study has confirmed no one knows of a 

case of documented drinking water contamination. Is that an accurate summary? And wouldn’t the American people better be served 

by saying, you know what? There is no known danger right now, 

but as soon as something comes to our attention that could be a 

known danger, a known risk where contamination has occurred, we 

are right on it? I mean, this is kind of the way we look for it. You 

know, when we have new drugs, we look for side effects and then 

we study why those side effects could occur and minimize them. 

And we don’t just say, well, you know, we are not going to approve 

any new drug because there could be potentially some side effects, 

even though none has ever been reported. I mean, that is a very 

clear way we handle medical research with regards to new substances, and I will proffer this isn’t a new substance. I mean, fracturing has been around a while. It is a long, lengthy question. But 

I guess to finalize, has there been a case as far as you know and 

wouldn’t the American people be served better by in fact turning 

down the what I will refer to as hysteria? And believe me, I have 

seen it in the medical field plenty of times, hysteria that you know, 

knowledgeable, qualified people, their best approach might be to 

say instead of writing something about all the potential impacts, 

saying—you know, because I looked here. I looked through the 

study, and I don’t see it emphasized that no case has ever been de-
87 

termined to have occurred. Am I missing it or is it in here somewhere? 

Dr. ANASTAS. What I believe you may be missing, Congressman, 

is that when we see studies such as the one that even recently 

came out of Duke University, that appearing in the proceedings in 

the National Academy of Sciences, we need to take those studies 

seriously. When we see such reputable groups such as the University of Texas announcing today their comprehensive review of hydraulic fracturing, the leader of that group, Dr. Ray Orbach, who 

is tremendously respected, was a tremendously respected Undersecretary of Energy in the Bush Administration, to think that we 

could unilaterally declare that there is no problem here and we are 

going to move on with these kinds of lingering concerns, I think the 

American people expect us to ask the tough questions and answer 

those tough questions in a process that preserves scientific integrity. 

Mr. HARRIS. I am going to yield back, Mr. Chairman. I would just 

say, you know, once to emphasize again, there is no index case 

here. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. Would you, before you yield back, yield to me 

to ask one question of the gentleman? 

Mr. HARRIS. I certainly would, Mr. Chairman. Always. 

Chairman HALL. You mentioned the Duke study. I presume you 

have read the Duke study? 

Mr. ANASTAS. Yes, I have. 

Chairman HALL. And you use that to substantiate some of the 

things that you have said, do you not? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I use that study to show that there are concerns. 

Chairman HALL. Well, did you really read the study? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I read every word of that study. 

Chairman HALL. Did you read where they said our results show 

evidence for methane contamination for shallow drinking water 

systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important 

environmental risk accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide? 

Dr. ANASTAS. Yes, I have. 

Chairman HALL. Did you stop there? 

Dr. ANASTAS. No, I did not, sir. 

Chairman HALL. Did you read on page 4 where they said based 

on our data, we found no evidence for contamination of the shallow 

wells near active drilling sites from deep brines and/or fracturing 

fluids? Did you read that on page 4? Do you have page 4? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I have read every word of the study, and I have 

read that they—— 

Chairman HALL. Well, they are saying that what they said is just 

absolutely not so, and now are you going to use that like you have 

done before when you bolstered your testimony with false science? 

Is that what you are sitting here doing? 

Dr. ANASTAS. This is far from false science. What they have concluded and what you have just read shows that what they have determined is contamination of drinking water by methane and that 

they found no evidence of fracturing fluid contamination. This 

study that we are proposing and pursing is looking at both of those 

questions. 
88 

Chairman HALL. Let me read further to, just a little on down on 

page 4. ‘‘In sum, the geochemical and isotopic features for water we 

measured in the shallow wells from both active and non-active 

areas are consistent with historical data and inconsistent with contamination from mixed Marcellus shale formation water or saline 

fracturing fluid.’’ How are you going to get around that? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I am not going to get around it. I agree with their 

findings. What they are saying is they have seen no contamination 

from fracturing fluids. What they are saying is that they have determined that the methane that is being seen is not biogenic in nature but rather thermogenic in nature. 

Chairman HALL. I recognize the gentleman from Michigan, Dr. 

Benishek, for five minutes. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Thank you, Doctor, for being here. Let me just 

quote from the language, I believe from the appropriation for your 

study, that they urge the agency to carry out a study on the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water using a 

credible approach that relies on the best available science. 

So as I understand it from this language that the Congress asked 

you to carry out a study on the relationship between fracking and 

drinking water. And I don’t see how a study, which specifically 

says that it is not going to address the risk, complies with this 

order to study the relationship. 

Dr. ANASTAS. Let me be clear. I apologize if I didn’t make it clear 

previously. In order to do a risk assessment, we need to understand 

those relationships, whether or not there is a hazard to people from 

contamination to the drinking water and whether or not there is 

exposure and—— 

Mr. BENISHEK. No, any time there is contamination of drinking 

water, there is a risk. But the relationship between fracking and 

drinking water to me implies defining the risk, and apparently you 

disagree. 

Dr. ANASTAS. What I am saying is you can’t do a risk assessment, you can’t do a risk analysis, a quantitative risk analysis, 

without understanding the elements of hazard and exposure. We 

have to first understand the elements of the hazard and the exposure in order to do that kind of risk analysis. 

Mr. BENISHEK. I guess I just disagree with you because it seems 

to me that, you know, with thousands upon thousands of wells and 

that is the whole purpose of the study, is to determine if there is 

a significant risk. I just don’t get it. 

The other question I have is relying on best available science. So 

how many people on the Science Advisory Board have direct experience doing hydraulic fracturing? 

Dr. ANASTAS. You mean the panel that has been put together 

specifically on this? 

Mr. BENISHEK. Right. 

Dr. ANASTAS. I would have to get the exact numbers, but we certainly do have people who are experts in all of the disciplines related to hydraulic fracturing. 

Mr. BENISHEK. Does anybody have any direct fracking experience 

on this Science Advisory Board? 

Dr. ANASTAS. The short answer is yes, and I will be happy to get 

those biographies to you, sir. 
89 

Mr. BENISHEK. All right. Thank you. I yield back my time. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. The Chair recognizes Dr. Broun. 

Dr. BROUN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before I begin asking this 

panel my questions, I want to express my extreme displeasure at 

what appears to be a pattern of a lack of respect and a complete 

disregard of the House of Representatives Committee process and 

our Constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch of government. Regardless of which party is in control of the White 

House or Congress, we as Members of Congress must be vigilant 

in our oversight responsibilities. 

Today’s hearing includes two panels which is not the preferred 

practice of our Committee but was necessitated by the unprecedented recalcitrant behavior of the EPA in response to the Committee’s invitation to testify at this hearing. It is also important to 

note that EPA has testified before this Committee on a single panel 

with other witnesses before. Beyond the convenience to Members 

and witnesses, especially to those of us who serve on multiple Committees, a single panel provides an opportunity for an open discussion and free flow of ideas that this Committee has always encouraged. 

However, it is not the inconvenience of having multiple panels 

that alarms me the most. I am alarmed at the level of arrogance, 

arrogance that this Administration continues to demonstrate by 

presuming that they can actually dictate how a House Committee 

may conduct its hearing and business. Today’s latest example is 

not the first instance of the Administration going back on its stated 

goal in a cooperative fashion with the 112th Congress. Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee, which I am Chairman, experienced this same behavior with our first hearing when the TSA actually thought they could dictate what issues and topics fall under 

this Committee’s jurisdiction and refused to testify. I see the same 

thing from the EPA, and I am extremely disappointed in the behavior of this Administration. 

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the Committee’s indulgence in letting me air my frustration and hope this situation can be rectified 

and the Committee can continue its important duties. 

Dr. ANASTAS. May I address your comment? 

Dr. BROUN. No, Doctor, I don’t have but just a few minutes, and 

I have got a question or two I want to ask you. Did you write your 

testimony? 

Dr. ANASTAS. I did. 

Dr. BROUN. Doctor, I am a physician. I am a scientist, applied 

scientist, not a research scientist. I know very well as a policymaker that science cannot dictate policy. Policy can be based on 

good science. Saying it another way, science describes, it cannot 

prescribe. 

In your testimony you made a statement that I think is blatantly 

false. You stated that the EPA utilizes good science, peer review 

science and takes into consideration opposing views. I don’t think 

that is factual, and the endangerment finding is a good example because I believe in my heart that EPA had a policy that they wanted 

to put in place that this Administration wanted to follow and that 

they utilized one set of scientific data to try to justify the policy dic-
90 

tated. And I see the same thing with this frack policy that you guys 

are trying to promote and trying to stop fracking. I believe this Administration wants to stop oil and gas development in this country, 

and I think they are utilizing EPA and what you are doing in that 

process. 

Now EPA published a study Ms. Woolsey asked you about in 

2004, Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking 

Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Bed Methane Reservoirs. 

Do you all stand by the conclusions that you all issued in the report that it poses little or no threat to drinking water? 

Dr. ANASTAS. Coal bed methane reservoirs are not the subject of 

this study. So if you are asking whether or not that study is relevant to the study that we are undertaking, the answer would be 

no, only partially relevant because those are at much different strata of the geologic formations and different processes being used. 

Dr. BROUN. Well, given President Obama’s executive order 

memoranda, highlighting the importance of interagency coordination regarding regulatory activity, please explain how the EPA is 

syncing its study with those with the Department of Energy and 

the Department of Interior? In general, how is EPA implementing 

the executive order with reference to potential fracking regulation? 

Dr. ANASTAS. This study is not a regulatory study. This study is 

a scientific study that we worked closely with our partners at other 

agencies in informing the nature of this study, but this study is not 

a study that is based on regulations. This is not a regulatory action. 

Dr. BROUN. Well, we have no index study, as Dr. Harris was just 

talking about. You are just going out and doing a study. It seems 

to me that you are trying to stop the fracking process, and I am 

extremely disappointed with EPA. I am extremely disappointed 

with this Administration. And I think it just needs to change. Mr. 

Chairman, I yield back. 

Chairman HALL. The gentleman yields back. Dr. Anastas, I 

thank you for your testimony, and I thank the Members for their 

questions. 

At this time, Dr. Anastas, you are welcome to stay seated at the 

table if you want to or you can take a seat there or you can leave 

or do whatever you want to, but I am going to ask our first panel 

of witnesses to join us again by retaking their seats at the table 

for a chance to summarize our comments. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, as our new panel is being 

seated, if I could just mention that I would like to thank Dr. 

Anastas for coming forward today. This was a rough hearing, and 

we were rough on you but we are trying to get to the truth, and 

I appreciate the fact that in some of the questions, you know, on 

almost all the questions, you were being straightforward with us. 

And at times we had to cut you off because we have limited time 

that we can ask, and I just wanted to express my appreciation to 

your forthrightness today in answering these questions. 

Dr. ANASTAS. Thank you, sir. 

Chairman HALL. We are not done, Dr. Anastas, he has to leave. 

He is perfectly welcome to stay. We are going to ask for a comment 

from each of these people, just a 1-minute comment from you or 2- 

minute comment. 
91 

On the testimony you have heard, Dr. Anastas had a chance to 

listen to your testimony, and you had a chance to listen to his. So 

I think instead of having another round of questions, that wouldn’t 

be fair to the Democrats that are not here. This will go for the 

record now. This will be in the record, and Democrat and Republicans can read those records. 

So I will start out when you get your things together there, 

whatever you are getting ready to do. What is going on at the table 

there? Is it something I am not supposed to see or I couldn’t stand 

to see? Now, you got Mrs. Jones blocked off. All right. I thank you. 

That is the good staff we have, and I appreciate them. 

You have heard the testimony of the EPA witness. Do you have 

comments on it? 

Mrs. JONES. I do, Chairman, and I would like to say that in fact 

I probably am the only person in this room who actually attended 

one of the meetings across the country that the EPA held in Ft. 

Worth, Texas, last year, and I want to tell you it was the least scientific-based meeting I have ever attended. I didn’t have time to 

speak to it, and people were lined up. The conversation really did 

not even address hydraulic fracturing. It was a large crowd of antidrilling activists who in fact were trying to use every applied application technology in the drilling industry as an excuse or to suspect 

it, disparage it. I have never been in such an activist crowd that 

is so opposed to drilling. 

And there is a group in Texas who doesn’t understand how 

strong the oil and gas exploration and production and severance 

taxes of it make this State. They are a very vocal minority I might 

add, and that study, if it is to be based upon the information gathered at the hearing that I was at will be extremely flawed when 

it is finally done. 

I would suggest to you that there are more studies here than we 

can shake a stick at. In fact, it sounds to me like the EPA has a 

$12 million solution to a problem that doesn’t even exist. I don’t 

understand why my word, and my word is my bond, and if I can 

save the taxpayers some dollars, I am here to do that. And I am 

telling you, there has never been an indication of groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing that I know of in the State 

of Texas and nationally. And if that is not good enough for somebody who is employed up here in Washington, I don’t know how we 

are ever going to get to the truth if people will not start listening 

to people like me who are out there in the field, in the trenches, 

elected by the people to do the people’s business. And it burns me 

up what I am hearing about this scientific-based study when I was 

at a hearing, a town hall meeting that was anything but scientific 

based. 

Chairman HALL. I thank you, and I might say this hearing is not 

for the Congress particularly. It is probably for generations, this 

generation that is being hurt by lack of energy and the Administration’s offense against energy and against energy states and against 

other states that didn’t vote for him. I think something that Congress has an interest in and I am interested in it. I am interested 

in my children and my children’s children because other than prayer, energy is probably the most important word in the dictionary 

for those youngsters that are 15 years old and up. 
92 

We will go on. You commented. Thank you for your comment. We 

recognize Dr. Summers for his comment. Hold it as near to a couple of minutes as you can. 

Dr. SUMMERS. Thank you, Chairman Hall. Well, I have heard a 

lot of information today regarding the safety of these practices from 

my colleagues. As I said in my testimony, we have seen problems 

in the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania. I have learned that Mrs. 

Jones and her experience in Texas, which is very extensive, indicated that one size doesn’t fit all. I want to make sure that we get 

the right size here in Maryland. We have a very important group 

of watersheds that millions of people depend upon for many purposes, and I think it is absolutely critical that we get the best information on all the various issues that I raised in my testimony. And 

we obviously have the opportunity to gather that information, specifically with respect to the EPA study. As I said, one of the big 

concerns or issue that has been raised is the potential for impacts 

on drinking water. I have been to public meetings in Maryland 

where a lot of folks have raised a lot of concerns about the drinking 

water impacts, probably very similar to what was just described, 

and I want to make sure we have the best scientific answers possible. And I believe that the EPA’s study is another piece of information that we need to pull that information together. 

Chairman HALL. And I believe you want all the information you 

can get, and I think you would be one that would frown on the EPA 

and on the testimony we just heard from the EPA when it was said 

clearly that he supports the Duke study and he thinks that upholds 

some of his testimony. When we just read to him there where it 

said we found no evidence for contamination of the shallow wells 

near active drilling sites from deep brines. That is just about as 

clear as you can make it. 

Mr. Fitch? 

Mr. FITCH. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, we have 

to acknowledge there is a Congressional directive there for the EPA 

to conduct a study. However, the language in that directive is quite 

general. It allows for quite a bit of flexibility, and we would just 

reiterate that we believe the design of the study is overly broad. 

There has been a lot of totally unscientific information brought to 

bear on this, and that does not warrant a scientific investigation 

of some of those things, some of those allegations. We believe that 

the study should focus on one area where there have been some legitimate concerns, and that is the management of wastewater, 

management of flow back water. Also I think this study should engage on the issue of identification of the degree of risk and not just 

whether there is some risk or not, because otherwise, you lose perspective. And we see a great potential there for a study to be misused if it doesn’t address the degree of risk. 

Chairman HALL. Thank you, sir. Dr. Cooper? 

Dr. COOPER. Thank you. I think as a scientific study, what we 

have mostly seen in all of the EPA activity to discuss this publicly 

is it seems to be more political than scientific. And that disturbs 

me a lot. I am not opposed to a study that we are trying to address 

a question that we are trying to solve. I am not sure that we have 

got that question on the table, and I am really sorry that EPA 

today did not really engage with the rest of us in a discussion 
93 

about what might be done, what we really need to think about, if 

anything. Thank you. 

Chairman HALL. Dr. Economides. Did I pronounce it right then? 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. You are improving. 

Chairman HALL. All right. 

Dr. ECONOMIDES. It is great. Just two quick points. I, too, have 

this vision that a more balanced EPA would have actually blasted 

this Duke paper today. They will actually take it upon themselves 

to critique it and tear it for what it is. This is shabby science, Mr. 

Chairman, including the conclusions, by the way. After they 

reached what you read, the conclusion is letting us just outlaw hydraulic fracturing, essentially, after they said they found no evidence of contamination. 

Regarding the Scientific Advisory Board, I took it upon myself to 

Google every Member on that Committee about three weeks ago. 

There are three people that I would think have some experience in 

hydraulic fracturing, and one is a lady professor at the University 

of Missouri, D’Aleo. She and I wrote a book, by the way, a few 

years ago. But she doesn’t have direct experience in hydraulic fracturing. There is a researcher from Texas A&M who is a chemist. 

I don’t think he has ever been on a well site for hydraulic fracturing, and there is a geophysicist, everybody else, they are experts 

in their field, but I don’t think any one of them has ever been on 

a well site for hydraulic fracturing. So it really mystifies me how 

a Scientific Advisory Board consisting of people like this, they are, 

Congressman, on a wild goose chase, by the way, in my view. That 

is all there is. It is a shortcut approach, and the only obvious conclusion would be if they find something negative, then they will 

condemn the entire industry. And that is the danger. 

Chairman HALL. All right. Gentlemen, and lady, we thank you 

for your time, and I thank every one of you. I think this hearing 

ought to clear up the hard, cold facts that the hearing was set for, 

if the liberal press will print it properly. 

With that, I will remain. I thank all the witnesses on both panels 

for their valuable testimony, for Members for their questions. And 

Members of the Committee may have an additional question for 

any one of you, and we will ask you to respond to those in writing. 

The record will remain open for two weeks for additional comments 

from Members, and the witnesses are excused. And this hearing is, 

thank goodness, adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 1:05 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 

(95) 

Appendix I 

ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS
96 

ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Mrs. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Commissioner, Texas Railroad Commission 

Questions submitted by Chairman Ralph Hall 

Q1. How would you compare the thoroughness of Texas regulations to those of other 

States? How does your State’s participation in the STRONGER process (State Review 

of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations) create better regulations? Are 

you aware of any States that have emulated Texas’ regulatory framework? 

A1. Texas Regulations. Texas is typical of the oil and gas producing states in 

taking a proactive approach to address large-scale hydraulic fracturing as well as 

other issues associated with deep shale gas development. The laws and rules in 

Texas effectively protect water and other natural resources as well as public health 

and safety from potential adverse effects of hydraulic fracturing. The Ground Water 

Protection Council’s State Oil and Gas Regulations Designed to Protect Water Resources is a comprehensive state-by-state evaluation of state oil and gas regulations. 

It concludes that state oil and gas regulations are in general adequately designed 

to directly protect water resources. 

Texas, like most states with mature production, has a long history of successful 

regulation of well drilling, completion, and production. The practice of hydraulic 

fracturing has been developed over 60 years. The Railroad Commission developed 

and oversees a comprehensive regulatory framework encompassing all oil and gas 

activities. Under this framework, the actual practice of hydraulic fracturing has 

never been identified as a contributor to groundwater contamination. The Texas regulatory framework emphasizes well construction with multiple layers of protection 

for groundwater and thousands of inspections each year to ensure compliance with 

regulations. 

The Railroad Commission has authority to regulate pollution of any type from oil 

and gas exploration and production activity whether it is hydrocarbon, produced 

water or hydraulic fracturing fluid contamination. The Commission has regulations 

regarding construction requirements for wells to ensure that each well is protective 

of natural resources, including groundwater. Railroad Commission regulations specifically prohibit contamination of water resources. There have been no contamination incidents resulting from hydraulic fracturing in Texas. 

State Review Process. A STRONGER review provides Significant benefits to 

states by demonstrating the effectiveness of a state regulatory program to the public 

and to the state legislatures that fund the programs. The STRONGER state review 

process demonstrates in a clear and public process that state programs are sound 

and effective. The review process also identifies areas that could be improved. 

The STRONGER guidelines are updated as necessary to address new issues. 

STRONGER expanded its reviews in 2010 to address hydraulic fracturing regulations in response to public concerns. The Commission chaired the workgroup that 

developed the STRONGER guidelines for hydraulic fracturing. This expansion resulted from increased interest in the practice of hydraulic fracturing and from interest by the state regulators to provide reviews of their fracturing regulations. 

This month, the Commission initiated the process of rulemaking to require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. 

The Commission frequently reviews its regulatory programs to determine effectiveness, particularly in light of new technological or geological developments. The 

STRONGER guidelines are helpful during these internal reviews. 

Texas was initially reviewed in 1993. There was a follow-up review in 2002. Several program improvements were noted in the follow-up report. 

Following the initial review, the Railroad Commission began to consider the compliance history of the operator when making permit decisions. The Oil Field Cleanup Fund Advisory Committee was established to provide advice to the Commission. 

A bonding program was established to ensure closure of reclamation plants and 

commercial disposal facilities and rules were updated to ensure proper plugging of 

wells. The data management system was expanded and upgraded. A Field Inspection Manual was developed, as was a Memorandum of Understanding between the 

Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to coordinate exploration and production waste management activities. 

Since the 2002 follow-up review, the Commission made additional improvements, 

and has begun other improvements, to the Commission’s regulatory program. For 

example, the Commission is working with the Department of State Health Services 

to develop a memorandum of understanding relating to radiation issues. 
97 

Q2. Summarize Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) oversight authorities and activities related to hydraulic fracturing, as well as TRC coordination efforts with other 

State-level oversight bodies. 

A2. The Railroad Commission’s regulatory framework for oil and gas activities, including the practice of hydraulic fracturing, effectively protect surface and ground 

water. The, Texas framework emphasizes well construction with multiple layers of 

protection for groundwater, and inspectors conduct thousands of inspections to ensure compliance with the Commission’s regulations. 

The Commission does not permit a well on which hydraulic fracturing will be performed without certification that identifies the depth to which groundwater must be 

protected by cement and steel casing. Geologists and hydrologists evaluate the area 

well logs around any proposed well to determine the required depth of the surface 

casing to protect fresh water formations. An operator proposing to drill a well must 

submit that determination before the Commission will consider issuing a drilling 

permit. 

In every new well, Commission regulations require that heavy steel surface casing 

extend below the base of the deepest fresh water formation and that the surface casing be cemented in place throughout the annulus between the drill hole and the surface casing. As an additional safeguard, Commission rules require that the surface 

casing be pressure tested for leakage before re-commencing drilling. 

Coordination with Other State-Level OverSight Bodies. The Commission actively works with other states through participation in the Interstate Oil and Gas 

Compact Commission, the national Groundwater Protection Council (GWPC), and 

STRONGER, Inco activities. 

One example of such participation is the new hydraulic fracturing chemical disclosure website FracFocus.org. Responding to the concerns about the nature of chemicals used in fracturing, the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (lOGCC) initiated a national registry to display the chemicals used in individual fracturing jobs, building off of well completion 

reports. GWPC and IOGCC worked closely with producers, service companies, and 

state regulatory bodies to develop a format that will allow for the submission of well 

data. The Commission has been heavily involved in this effort. Many of the active 

shale gas producers already have begun to populate the website with well data. Numerous regional and national oil and gas industry associations have endorsed the 

project. 

While initially directed at reviewing state drilling fluids and produced water management regulations, STRONGER expanded its reviews in 2010 to address hydraulic fracturing regulations in response to public concerns. The Commission chaired 

the workgroup that developed the STRONGER guidelines for hydraulic fracturing. 

Since adding fracturing to the review process, STRONGER has conducted reviews 

in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana and Oklahoma. A STRONGER review provides 

significant benefits to states by demonstrating the effectiveness of a state regulatory 

program to the public and to the state legislatures that fund the programs. By 

bringing experts from other state programs, it can identify issues that need to be 

improved. The STRONGER state review process demonstrates in a clear and public 

process that state programs are sound and effective. 

Texas also works with individual states on issues of shared interest. In 2004, the 

Railroad Commission and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources entered 

into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to provide written notice to 

each other when certain oil and gas activities will occur near each side of the state 

line. By working together as good neighbors and notifying one another of proposed 

projects or subsurface injection operations within at least a one-mile distance from 

the common border, the potential for problems affecting the land and water supplies 

can be diminished. 

Q3. How are complaints of water contamination usually handled? How extensive is 

the investigatory process? Is this process mandated by law, or has it evolved over 

time from experience? In your testimony, you spoke about how the Railroad Commission conducted a thorough research and legal investigation of the incident involving 

Range Resources. However, EPA still stepped in and halted operations. Did EPA’s 

interference come after your investigation? 

A3. A critical function of the Railroad Commission’s Field Operations section is 

to address complaints. These complaints are received from both industry and the 

public. The Commission’s process for handling complaints of groundwater contamination has evolved over time from experience. 

Commission staff must contact the complaining party to schedule a joint inspection within 24 hours of receipt of complaint. Response is immediate in cases where 

there is imminent danger of pollution or threat to the public. Field personnel gather 

information in order to: 
98 

a. Confirm that a contamination problem exists 

b. Determine whether or not the cause is under the Commission’s jurisdiction. 

c. Determine possible sources of contamination 

d. Determine possible ways to eliminate the source of contamination and initiate clean up if the problem is found to be the result of activities under the 

Commission’s jurisdiction. 

e. Determine the manner of completion, age, fluid level, pump-off time, etc. of 

the water well, the problem with the water (salty taste, odor, oil film, etc), when 

the problem was first noticed, whether the water gets better or worse after 

pumping the well for a while (could be an indication of aquifer contamination 

versus wellbore contamination), whether the well has a filtering system or 

water softener, whether the complainant has a septic system. 

Field personnel then collect samples from the affected water well immediately and 

again after the pump has been allowed to run for approximately 10 minutes. Samples are taken as near as possible to the wellbore and before the water passes 

through any filters, water heaters, softeners, settling tanks, or other vessels. Staff 

collects samples from other water wells in the area for comparison and notes the 

depth, completion and any other pertinent characteristics of these water wells. Bacteriological samples are taken and forwarded to local health department. Staff then 

collects samples of produced water from oil and or gas wells within )I. mile of the 

subject water well. 

Staff also inspects the surrounding area approximately 1/4-mile from subject 

water well. Staff notes the location, status and current condition of oil and or gas 

wells within the area and inspects disposal or injection wells for operable observation valves and annular pressures that may indicate a mechanical integrity problem, oil and gas storage and treatment facilities, pits (current and abandoned), 

flowlines, evidence of past leaks or spills, creeks or streams and any other situation 

that may have contributed to the problem. Complainant receives copies of all correspondence related to the complaint. 

If water contamination is verified, the case is forwarded to the Commission’s Site 

Remediation division to address remediation. The case also may be forwarded to the 

Commission’s Office of General Counsel for enforcement action if the source of the 

contamination is found to be a result of violations of Commission rules, permits, or 

orders. 

Range Resources Complaint. In 2010, the Commission received a complaint involving natural gas in a 200-foot deep domestic water well in Parker County located 

near two natural gas wells operated by Range Resources. Throughout its investigation, Commission staff has shared data cooperatively with EPA staff. After a hearing, the Commission issued a final order finding that, based on the evidence, the 

Range Resources wells did not contribute and are not contributing to contamination 

of domestic water wells. 

Range Resources cooperated with the Commission as part of the investigation. On 

December 3, 2010, Range Resources agreed to take additional actions including performing further testing. of its wells, performing soil gas surveys, monitoring gas concentrations, and offering a water supply to the residence. However, on December 7, 

2010, EPA asserted its authority under Section 1431 (a) of the Safe Drinking Water 

Act (‘‘SDWA ’’), 42 U.S.C. §300i(a) and issued an emergency endangerment order 

against Range Resource, related to the occurrence of natural gas in the domestic 

water well in Parker County. EPA Region 6’s letter declared an imminent and substantial endangerment to a public drinking water aquifer has occurred (or may 

occur) through methane contamination which is directly related to oil and gas production facilities under your operation. 

EPA acted prematurely. Before EPA issued its order, Commission staff advised 

EPA that a specific source of contamination was unknown and still under investigation. Commission staff also advised EPA that the Commission had secured voluntary cooperation from the operator, including measures to assure safety in the affected household. All parties agreed natural gas was present in the Lipsky and 

Hayley water wells; however, the Commission advised EPA that evidence suggested 

that the gas was present in the aquifer prior to Range’s activities. 

EPA acted incorrectly. It is fair to question whether or not the presence of the 

gas in the water wells was an imminent and substantial danger to human health 

because one water well owner had disconnected his water well from the residence. 

Air monitoring of the residence never indicated a threat of explosion. The other 

water well owner never filed a complaint with the Commission. 

Reportedly, he was aware of natural gas and was managing it with an open holding tank that vented any gas before the water was used. 
99 

In addition, State and local authorities had been actively investigating the matter 

since August, and had not determined whether or not there was a connection between the Range activities and the gas in the water wells. State authorities had secured commitments from Range to expand the investigation. The Commission’s investigation is actively ongoing, and, at that time, Commission staff had made no 

conclusions about possible sources of natural gas and hydrocarbons found in the 

water well. Additionally, no pathways from a deep hydrocarbon source to the water 

well had been identified. The Commission advised EPA of the commitment from 

Range to expand the investigation before EPA issued the emergency order. 

EPA relied on incorrect science. Based on the evidence presented at hearing, Commission examiners concluded, and the Railroad Commission agreed, that gas in the 

water wells is from the Strawn Formation, which is in direct communication with 

the Cretaceous aquifer in which the water wells are completed. There was no evidence to indicate that either natural gas production well was the source of the gas 

in the water wells. The appropriate geochemical parameters for fingerprinting to 

distinguish Strawn gas of Pennsylvania age from Barnett Shale gas of Mississippian 

age, are nitrogen and carbon dioxide, not carbon. Gas from Pennsylvanian age rock, 

including Strawn, has higher nitrogen concentration and lower carbon dioxide concentration than Barnett Shale gas. Gas found in the water wells does not match the 

nitrogen isotopic fingerprint of Barnett Shale gas. Bradenhead gas samples from 

both production wells did not match Barnett Shale gas, confirming that gas is not 

migrating up the wellbores and that the Barnett Shale producing interval in the 

wells is properly isolated. Three dimensional seismic data indicates no evidence of 

faulting in the area of the water wells and microseismic data available for more 

than 320 fracture stimulations in Parker County indicated a maximum fracture 

height of approximately 400 feet, meaning that almost one mile of rock exists between the highest fracture and the shallow groundwater aquifer. 

The Commission continues to investigate the presence of gas in water wells in the 

area to determine source and conduits and what, if any, actions the Commission 

should take. If an investigation indicates oil field activities are responsible, the 

Commission would require assessment and cleanup, and evaluate what fines or penalties may be assessed as necessary. 

Q4. How useful is the current scope and breadth of the EPA study to State regulators 

and risk managers? What would be needed in order to make the study more worthwhile? 

A4. The states, including Texas, have adequate programs and authority for regulating hydraulic fracturing and a very good understanding of the technology and its 

potential for impacts. However, we recognize that there has been substantial public 

concern and much controversy over the use of hydraulic fracturing. While we support the study plan in principle, we hope that the study will be an objective assessment that takes in account current state regulatory programs and regional differences. 

We appreciate EPA’s pledge to work with the states, state organizations, and 

other stakeholders in conducting the study. In particular, the study should adhere 

to the directive of Congress that the study use the best available science; rely on 

independent sources of information; be a transparent, peer-reviewed process; and incorporate consultation with stakeholders. 

We do have some concern with the scope and timing of the study. EPA’s original 

scoping document proposed to study the ‘‘Full Life Cycle’ of an oil and gas well. In 

other words, the scope included all areas of oil and gas exploration and production 

activity, such as site selection and development, as well as production, storage and 

transportation, which are unrelated to hydraulic fracturing. EPA’s Science Advisory 

Board rightfully concluded that initial, short-term research be directed to study 

sources and pathways of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on water resources, especially potential drinking water sources considering the Congressional 

request and a desire by EPA to complete initial research products by the end of calendar year 2012. We believe that the scope of the Draft Study, however, remains 

broader than Congress may have intended. 

EPA proposes to delve into areas beyond the reach of federal law. EPA did limit 

the Draft Study to drinking water resources by replacing the ‘‘lifecycle’’ approach 

with the concept of ‘‘water lifecycle.’’ However, the Draft Study includes a study of 

how water withdrawals might impact water availability in the source area, and the 

water quality of source waterbodies. Water availability and water withdrawal has 

historically been the prerogative of the states and, we believe, is beyond the reach 

of federal law. 

EPA proposes to study areas beyond the specific practice of hydraulic fracturing. 

In addition to proposing to study water withdrawals, EPA proposes to study the potential impacts of spills, containment, treatment, and disposal of wastewaters re-
100 

sulting from hydraulic fracturing, as well as produced water from wells that have 

been fractured. Contrary to what some believe, there are existing controls on oil and 

gas activities in federal law and regulations, including the Safe Drinking Water Act, 

Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, not to 

mention state laws and regulations actively being enforced by state regulators. 

EPA should refocus and narrow the scope of the study to that directed by Congress -to practices directly associated with actual hydraulic fracturing and drinking 

water resources. Expansion of the study to other areas will only dilute EPA’s ability 

to focus on the actual practice of hydraulic fracturing. 

In addition, we have encouraged EPA to include in any working groups professional geoscientists and engineers with field experience and to actively seek participation from experts from the state regulatory agencies and base the study on sound 

science, valid data, and accurate information from credible sources. 

Q5. In the last few years, some companies have significantly increased wastewater 

recycling to move toward 100 percent recycling with zero discharge. What is the role 

of recycling and reuse of hydraulic fracturing fluids? 

A5. Wastewater in the northeast Marcellus Shale area has been discharged under 

the Clean Water Act to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs), thence to surface 

water because the geology is such that deep well underground injection was not an 

option. Evidently, the POTWs were not prepared to accept the volumes of wastewater generated in association with shale gas and recycling is becoming the norm. 

In Texas, wastewater from gas shale is generally injected into permitted deep disposal wells. However, water availability may drive the push towards more recycling 

in Texas. 

Texas is understandably concerned about water resources, particularly with the 

extraordinary drought conditions Texas currently faces. The Railroad Commission 

encourages use or reuse of oil and gas wastes for beneficial purposes and adopted 

recycling regulations in 2006 to ensure that the storage, handling, treatment, and 

recycling of oil and gas wastes and recyclable product do not threaten or impair the 

environment or public health and safety. 

The Commission has issued one mobile recycling permit in the Bamett Shale area, 

which authorizes treatment of hydraulic fracturing flowback water using on-site distillation units. The process allows reuse of approximately 80 percent of the returned 

fluids. 

The Commission also has issued one Stationary Recycling Permit for a facility located in Parker County in the Bamett Shale area. This stationary facility uses the 

same technology. 

The Commission has one pending permit application for a pilot project in Webb 

County -in the Eagle Ford Shale area. The applicant proposes to test a process for 

removal of extraneous materials (other than salts) from hydraulic fracturing 

flowback water. 

Q6. This past April there was an incident in Pennsylvania where there was a blowout of a well that caused fracking fluid to spill. 

a. As part of permitting hydraulic fracturing, what kind of response planning are 

companies required to submit? 

b. What other information do companies have to disclose to regulators in the event 

of a blowout? 

c. How does this differ from the information companies are required to provide to 

regulators in order to obtain the permit in the first place? 

A6. The Railroad Commission requires that each permitted well, including those 

that use hydraulic fracturing techniques, install a blowout preventer or control head 

and other connections to keep the well under control at all times as soon as surface 

casing is set. 

In the event of a blowout, companies are required to disclose to the Commission 

a full description of the event, including the volume of crude oil or gas lost. The 

location of the well must be provided to the Commission including county, survey, 

and property data, so that the exact location can be readily located on the ground. 

The company must specify what steps have been taken or are in progress to remedy 

the situation. 

A company must comply with Railroad Commission rules, including Statewide 

Rule 13, which requires a blowout preventer and Statewide Rule 20, which mandates reporting requirements in the event of a blowout or other releases of oil and 

gas waste. In addition, Commission regulations require construction of dikes or fire 

walls around all permanent oil tanks or tank batteries that are deemed by state to 

be an objectionable hazard. 
101 

Question submitted by Representative Chip Cravaack 

Q1. In your prior experiences with EPA, how would you describe their work as a regulatory partner? Do you see any areas where EPA could improve their dealings with 

state agencies? Do you have any suggestions for Congress on how we could encourage 

EPA to be a better partner with state government? 

A1. The Texas experience with EPA most recently has been one of heavy-handed 

overreach. The following are just a few examples. 

EPA asserts its authority under certain laws prematurely and. in many cases. incorrectly. One example is EPA’s assertion of its authority under Section 1431 (a) of 

the Safe Drinking Water Act (‘‘SDWA ’’), 42 U.S.C. §300i(a), when it issued an emergency endangerment order against Range Resource, related to the occurrence of natural gas in the domestic water well in Parker County. EPA Region 6’s letter declared that an ‘‘imminent and substantial endangerment to a public drinking water 

aquifer has occurred (or may occur) through methane contamination which is directly related to oil and gas production facilities under your operation.’’ EPA stated 

that it issued the order because the methane could cause an explosion and that the 

state had failed to act. In fact, the water wells had been disconnected from the 

houses, eliminating the chance that the houses would explode, and the’ Railroad 

Commission had been efficiently and effectively investigating the incident in concert 

with EPA since the initial complaint. 

Another example of EPA overreach is EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) regulations. The SPCC rules adopted by EPA, which recently 

became effective, do not allow the oil and gas sector to use the SPCC rule’s wastewater exemption for produced water, although other sectors were allowed to use the 

exemption. Thus, the SPCC regulations cover not only vessels storing oil, but also 

produced water storage tanks that contain de minimis quantities of oil. EPA singled 

out oil and gas water separation facilities for increased level of regulation relative 

to other sectors using similar or nearly identical technologies and treatment goals. 

The rule subjects hundreds of thousands of produced water vessels to additional requirements that are unnecessary given the incidental amounts of oil they contain 

and the small environmental risks they represent. 

EPA is using ‘‘guidance documents’’ to avoid rulemaking. In several instances, 

EPA has adopted or amended guidance documents when rulemaking would be more 

appropriate. The problem with adoption of requirements as guidelines rather than 

rules, is that the guidelines are not required to be as fully and formally vetted as 

rules. 

One instance is EPA’s current effort to draft a guidance document for permitting 

of hydraulic fracturing that includes the use of diesel fuel. Section 322 of the Energy 

Policy Act of 2005 amended the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) by modifying the 

definition of ‘‘underground injection’’ to exclude ‘‘ . . .. the underground injection of 

fluids or propping agents (other than diesel fuels) pursuant to hydraulic fracturing 

operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities.’’ Rather than pursue rulemaking with the attendant formal review and comment period, EPA has decided to draft guidance for permitting hydraulic fracturing that includes the use of 

diesel fuel as a Class II underground injection activity. The permitting program for 

Class II injection wells was developed under the assumption that injection would 

be continuous over a relatively long period of time, and thus, includes requirements 

that are not appropriate for short-term hydraulic fracturing activities. 

In another instance is EPA’s expansion of the definition of ‘‘waters of the United 

States’’ and ‘‘navigable water’’ under the Clean Water Act. Most recently, EPA and 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a draft proposed ‘‘Clean Water Protection Guidance’’ in April of this year that describes their view of the Federal Government’s authority to regulate wetlands. If adopted, this guidance will significantly expand federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. 

Questions submitted by Representative Paul Tonko 

Q1. For the record, it is my understanding that the practice of hydraulic fracturing 

includes fracturing technology combined with a number of different technologies, 

some which have been developed in the last 20 years, are being used to access shale 

gas. My question for the panel is why do we continue to hear that these technologies 

have been used to access shale gas for 60 years? 

A1. The technology has developed over a 60-year period. The use of hydraulic fracturing has changed dramatically since its introduction 60 years ago, and according 

to industry it is now used in about 90% of operational wells today. Hydraulic fracturing is a process of injecting a mixture of water, chemicals and particles underground to create fractures through which gas can flow for collection. The difference 
102 

in the activity of 60 years ago and today is that larger volumes of water are used 

in more technologically sound fracturing operations in conjunction with horizontal 

drilling technology. Today’s technology has developed to a point that operators can 

determine the size, direction, and efficiency of the fractures. 

Q2. What is the industry doing to continue this technological evolution to cleaner 

technologies? 

A2. Industry and other stakeholders, including state regulators, have been very 

active in efforts to develop and encourage cleaner technologies, as well as technologies that have less impact. Just a few examples follow: 

Reduced ‘‘Footprint.’’ The ability of an operator to drill numerous wells from one 

well pad has reduced the overall footprint of natural gas exploration and extraction 

in the form of fewer access roads and pipeline and production infrastructure. It also 

has resulted in less truck traffic, which further results in reduced emissions, dust, 

noise, erosion, wear and tear on roads, less disturbance to people and wildlife, and 

the potential for vehicular injuries, spills and property damage. Industry also has 

developed low-impact rigs, which adapt to the environment with a minimum of disturbance. 

Use of Coiled Tubing Drilling. Coiled tubing drilling is a high-potential solution 

for reducing environmental impact while also improving drilling efficiency and cost. 

Drilling with coiled tubing is not applicable in all situations. 

Use of Closed-Loop Drilling Mud Management. Many operators, particularly in 

urban/suburban areas, are moving away from lined reserve pits and are using 

closed-loop drilling mud management systems. 

Chemical Substitution. The ‘‘single biggest move’’ the industry has made to reduce 

the toxicity of its fluids, according to BJ Services, is phasing out diesel fuel, a solvent that contains the potent carcinogen benzene. Diesel fuel was once commonly 

used in hydraulic fracturing. Today, many companies have replaced diesel fuel with 

much less toxic mineral oil in most of their fracturing solutions. The shift began in 

2003, after EPA pressed the nation’s dominant hydraulic fracturing companies to 

voluntarily eliminate diesel fuel from some of their fluids. The Railroad Commission 

has encouraged this action. 

Green Completions. Also becoming prevalent, particularly in urban/suburban 

areas, is a process known as green completion. Green completions capture gas produced during well completions and well workovers following hydraulic fracturing. 

Generally, an operator will use portable equipment to separate gas from the solids 

and liquids produced during flowback of the well. The gas then can be delivered into 

the sales pipeline. Green completions reduce emissions of methane, volatile organic 

carbons, and hazardous air pollutants during well cleanup and can eliminate or significantly reduce the need for flaring. 

Some operators also are reducing their methane emissions by replacing retrofit 

continuous-bleed pneumatic pilot valves on field separators and controllers with lowbleed valves. Gas is bled off continuously from separators using high bleed pilot 

valves. Replacing or retrofitting high-bleed valves reduced emissions and has resulted in the ability to capture and sell gas that previously escaped. 

Recycling. The Railroad Commission encourages use or reuse of oil and gas wastes 

for beneficial purposes and adopted recycling regulations in 2006 to ensure that the 

storage, handling, treatment, and recycling of oil and gas wastes and recyclable 

product do not threaten or impair the environment or public health and safety. 

The Commission has issued a mobile recycling permit in the Barnett Shale area 

treats hydraulic fracturing flowback water using on-site distillation units. The process allows reuse of approximately 80 percent of the returned fluids. 

The Commission also has issued a stationary recycling permit for a facility located 

in Parker County in the Barnett Shale area, which also uses distillation. 

The Commission has one pending permit application for a pilot project in Webb 

County -in the Eagle Ford Shale area, in which the applicant proposes to test a 

process for removal of extraneous materials (other than salts) from hydraulic fracturing flowback water. 

One company that received authority in 2006 from the Commission has process 

over 12.7 million barrels of hydraulic fracturing fluid to recover over 9.9 million barrels—or 77%—of reusable distilled water. 

Ongoing Efforts. The Houston Advanced Research Center and Texas A&M University, along with industry sponsors and other stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, and others, operate the operate the Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems Program integrating advanced technologies into systems that Significantly reduce the impact of petroleum drilling and production in environmentally 

sensitive areas. (See http://www.efdsystems.org/) 
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ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Dr. Robert M. Summers, Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment 

Questions submitted by Chairman Ralph Hall 

Q1. States regulate many aspects of oil and natural gas activities. How robust is this 

regulation? How often are wells inspected? What are the qualifications of the regulators? 

A1. Maryland statutory law assigns the responsibility for permitting oil and gas 

wells to the Maryland Department of the Environment. The Department adopted 

implementing regulations that were last revised in 1993. MDE’s Minerals, Oil and 

Gas Division currently has four professional employees, of whom three are geologists and one a regulatory and compliance engineer, in addition to an administrative 

specialist. There are currently about 10 gas production wells in Maryland and a natural gas compressor station associated with about 85 gas storage wells. The production wells are scheduled for inspection once a year. The compressor station is inspected annually and the storage wells once every five years. 

Q2. Do you believe states are incapable of effectively regulating hydraulic fracturing 

without direction from EPA? 

A2. At this time, Maryland lacks sufficient information to effectively regulate hydraulic fracturing. As I said in my testimony, guidance from EPA is needed and has 

been requested by Maryland. The availability of recommendations regarding best 

practices, such as those that the Department of Energy has said they will be providing in the next 6 months, would be extremely helpful and would allow States like 

Maryland to proceed more quickly to achieve our objective of ensuring that any permits issued that would utilize hydraulic fracturing are fully protective. 

Q3. Have you reviewed Texas’ regulations overseeing hydraulic fracturing? Have you 

reviewed the regulations of other oil and gas producing States? If so, what type of 

review have you performed? 

A3. Staff at MDE has reviewed Texas’ regulations and the regulations, adopted 

and proposed, of other States and interstate agencies such as the Susquehanna 

River Basin Commission. A variety of different requirements have been put in place 

across the Country and many states are currently making improvements to their 

regulatory programs. We need to ensure that Maryland is using the most up-to-date 

protective measures. During the course of the study mandated under Governor 

O’Malley’s Executive Order, in conjunction with an Advisory Committee, the Department will examine these regulations, and the EPA and DOE guidance being developed now, to establish permit requirements for best practices that are sufficiently 

protective. 

Q4. How useful is the current scope and breadth of the EPA study to State regulators 

and risk managers? What would be needed in order to make the study more worthwhile? 

A4. EPA summarizes the study on their web page as follows: ‘‘the overall purpose 

of the study is to understand the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and 

drinking water resources. The scope of the proposed research includes the full lifespan of water in hydraulic fracturing, from acquisition of the water, through the 

mixing of chemicals and actual fracturing, to the post-fracturing stage, including the 

management of flowback and produced water and its ultimate treatment and disposal.’’ The scope and breadth of the EPA study plan will assure that State regulators get useful data on the toxicity of chemicals used in or released by hydraulic 

fracturing and the potential for impacts to drinking water resources. This is a topic 

that would be of interest to all states, and we look forward to EPA’s summary. The 

study would be more worthwhile if it addressed additional topics, such as re-fracturing, and impacts to air quality and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 

Q5. It seems many of the alleged environmental concerns associated with frackingsuch as wastewater discharge-are not actually associated with the hydraulic fracking 

process and indeed exist at all oil and gas production activities regardless of whether 

fracking occurs. Does EPA properly distinguish between these categories in its study 

plan? How can this distinction be improved? 

A5. Hydraulic fracturing wastewater is different in volume and characteristics 

from wastewater generated in conventional oil and gas operations because of the additives used in the fracking fluid and the potential release from the fracked shale 

of metals, organics and other contaminants. The EPA study plan appropriately focuses on wastes associated with hydraulic fracturing. 
104 

Question submitted by Representative Chip Cravaak 

Q1. Many people are concerned about the waste water that is created as part of the 

fracturing process. Can you please describe the current technologies that are available to help recycle these fluids? 

A1. The fracking flowback can contain not only the returning fracking fluid with 

its additives, but also radioactivity, metals, and organic chemicals that were in the 

target formation before fracking. Different treatment may be needed for different 

contaminants. Maryland is currently investigating the available treatment methodologies. This is one of the key questions that Maryland will be evaluating as part 

of its study over the next year. 

Questions submitted by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson 

Q1. Dr. Summers during the hearing Mr. Luja ́n asked all of the witnesses if they 

would agree that the country needs a minimum standard for hydraulic fracturing. 

You were not given a chance to answer this question. Do you believe the country 

should adopt some kind of minimum best practices or standards? If yes, why? 

A1. Yes. Federal minimum best practices for hydraulic fracturing would be very 

helpful to Maryland as it refines its own regulatory program. Such practices would 

also ensure that upstream States are requiring appropriate practices to protect 

Maryland’s rivers and streams from the potential adverse impacts of hydraulic fracturing that occurs in those States. Similarly, federal standards for wastewater treatment of fracking flowback would ensure that treatment levels are sufficiently protective prior to issuance of discharge permits regardless of which state has issued the 

permit. 

Q2. After reviewing much of the EPA study plan, I recognize that there is a considerable amount of evaluation that is conducted to determine if a site can be safely leased 

for drilling. Analyses related to the use of chemicals, drinking water evaluations, and 

geological and surface evaluations all take considerable time and funds. 

• How are States able to conduct these evaluations? 

• How much do States depend on the industry for these kinds of evaluations? 

A2. Information about geology and drinking water resources are generally available on a regional scale. Maryland has geologists and engineers on staff who are 

able to review and interpret this information as part of the permitting process, however, for site-specific information, Maryland must rely heavily on information provided by the applicant for a drilling permit. Maryland law and regulations require 

applicants to perform an Environmental Assessment that provides the information 

needed to evaluate the application. Maryland is currently updating these requirements to ensure that appropriate evaluations are conducted for all future applicants. 

As for the chemicals, MDE requires the disclosure of all the chemicals used onsite. We rely heavily on Material Safety Data Sheets and published studies to evaluate the toxicity of the chemicals. The fate and transport of these chemicals is seldom 

known with any degree of detail or certainty and Maryland intends to require sitespecific water quality monitoring of surface and groundwater to ensure that best 

management practices are protective of water quality. In addition, the fracking fluid 

can react with the target formation, producing different chemicals in the wastewater 

that must be evaluated and properly treated. Maryland is depending on accurate 

information from the applicants and would benefit greatly from additional federal 

guidance and oversight to assist in the evaluations. 

Question submitted by Representative Ben Luja ́n 

Q1. Dr. Summers, in your testimony during the hearing you discuss the need for the 

Federal Government to provide guidance and technical support to the States on what 

steps need to be taken to ensure the safety and environmental performance of 

fracking. Can you elaborate on how a federal-state partnership could promote natural gas production and ensure the health of our public? 

A1. Because of its national scope, EPA receives information about operations in 

all the States that are experiencing hydraulic fracturing of deep deposits. The EPA 

is in a better position than any individual State to collect, analyze, and make available information on best practices across the country. To cite one example, the EPA 

has knowledge about best practices for reducing the escape of methane gas to the 

atmosphere during drilling and hydrofracking. Sharing this information would allow 

States to avoid ‘‘reinventing the wheel.’’ As another example, EPA Region III, which 
105 

includes several Marcellus Shale states, has provided useful guidance on the treatment and disposal of fracking wastewater. 

Questions submitted by Representative Paul Tonko 

Q1. For the record, it is my understanding that the practice of hydraulic fracturing 

includes fracturing technology combined with a number of different technologies, 

some which have been developed in the last 20 years, are being used to access shale 

gas. My question for the panel is why do we continue to hear that these technologies 

have been used to access shale gas for 60 years? 

A1. Hydraulic fracturing has been known and used for a significant period of 

time. Applying the technology to deep, horizontally-drilled wells is relatively new. 

It has only been used in the Eastern United States for a few years. The industry 

continues to innovate and add new technology and chemicals. We have observed 

that Pennsylvania has found it necessary to continually update its requirements and 

regulations over the past few years to address issues that have arisen due to the 

rapid development of Marcellus Shale gas wells. Many citizens are quite concerned 

about the impacts they have observed and the potential for additional cumulative 

impacts as many more wells and associated gathering lines and other infrastructure 

are developed. Maryland has not received the volume of applications that Pennsylvania has, however, in reviewing its experience and some of the ongoing problems 

encountered, it is clear to us that the technology is evolving and will continue to 

evolve. States need the assistance and expertise of the federal agencies to ensure 

that we are requiring the best available practices so that our citizens’ health and 

safety are protected and we are not left with a legacy of environmental contamination and degradation of our natural resources. 

Q2. What is the industry doing to continue this technological evolution to cleaner 

technologies? 

A2. Many companies are working to develop cleaner, safer practices and it was 

Maryland’s hope that those industries would support legislation that was introduced 

in the Maryland legislature this past session to help Maryland ensure that the best 

practices were being employed in the development of the Marcellus Shale in our 

State. Unfortunately, the industry in Maryland did not support that legislation because they believed that it placed requirements that would prevent us from moving 

forward with production of gas as quickly as they would have liked. 

Many different practices and regulatory standards are being required in the various States whose programs we have reviewed. It is extremely difficult and time 

consuming for staff from a single State to ensure that industry is using the best 

practices and is taking advantage of available technological advances. This is complicated by the fact that not all the technological innovations result in cleaner operations; some are used to tap previously unreachable or unrecoverable gas and may 

have additional unanticipated environmental impacts that must be evaluated. Maryland will take the time needed to ensure that any permits we issue are fully protective. With Governor O’Malley’s Executive Order, we are establishing an advisory 

committee and we are encouraging industry representatives to participate and assist us in appropriately addressing the issues so that Maryland’s permits are reasonable and fully protective. 
106 

ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Mr. Harold Fitch, Michigan State Geologist; Director, Office of Geological Survey, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; and Board Member, Ground Water Protection Council 

Questions submitted by Chairman Ralph Hall 

Q1a. FracFocus is a voluntary website that discloses the additives used in fracking 

fluids. Some people have advocated that this disclosure should be mandatory. 

a Is this necessary, or are the voluntary measures enough? 

A1a. Circumstances vary among states, and the issue should be left to each state 

to address. Michigan has implemented mandatory disclosure of Material Safety 

Data Sheets (MSDSs) for high-volume hydraulic fracturing operations in response 

to public interest. We are posting the MSDSs on our website. To address the question in a regional or national context, the voluntary disclosure under FracFocus provides adequate information to characterize hydraulic fracturing fluids in general. 

b. How does the information disclosed on this website compare with the information 

companiesprovide to State regulators? 

A1b. The information on the FracFocus website closely parallels that for Michigan. 

Q2. States regulate many aspects of oil and natural gas activities. How robust is this 

regulation? How often are wells inspected? What are the qualifications of the regulators? 

A2. Michigan has a comprehensive and thorough system for regulation of all aspects of oil and gas wells and associated pipelines and facilities, from initial siting 

to closure and restoration. Wells are inspected once every two to four days during 

drilling, completion (including hydraulic fracturing), and plugging; and several times 

annually during production. While states vary somewhat in this respect, I believe 

Michigan is fairly typical. Michigan inspectors are degreed geologists and have significant on-the-job training before qualifying for independent field inspection activities. 

Q3. How useful is the current scope and breadth of the EPA study to State regulators 

and risk managers? What would be needed in order to make the study more worthwhile? 

A3. The EPA plans for the study are quite broad. Michigan does not object to a 

broad study; we believe that the results will confirm what the states already know 

to be the case. However, we are concerned that the breadth of the study means the 

results will not be available in a timely manner. We are also concerned that the 

study does not incorporate risk assessment. While the study may point out a few 

risks to the environment, it is important to weigh the degree of risk, not just the 

possibility of a problem (which may be very remote). 

Q4. At what depths do we find functional groundwater wells? At what depths is hydraulic fracturing taking place? What is the potential relationship between these 

wells and hydraulic fracturing activities both on the surface and below ground? How 

does this vary across local geology? 

A4. The depth of water supply wells varies greatly from state to state and within 

each state. In Michigan, it ranges from tens of feet to hundreds of feet. Likewise, 

the depth and characteristics of hydraulic fracturing varies greatly-more reasons for 

state-based regulation. In Michigan the vertical separation between the deepest 

fresh groundwater and the zones that are hydraulically fractured ranges from 200 

feet to thousands of feet. The separation distance is smallest at shallow depths. In 

shallow wells the volume of hydraulic fracturing fluid is small and fractures propagate horizontally; as a result, the fractures do not extend upward into the fresh 

water aquifer. In deeper wells, the great isolation distance and nature of intervening formations prevents propagation of fractures into fresh water zones. 

Q5. In the last few years, some companies have significantly increased wastewater 

recycling to move toward 100 percent recycling with zero discharge. What is the role 

of recycling and reuse of hydraulic fracturing fluids? 

A5. The states encourage recycling and reuse of hydraulic fracturing water. It 

may not be practical in some cases due to unfavorable characteristics of the flow 

back or produced water. 

Q6. Could you differentiate flowback and produced water, and any other water used 

during the hydraulic fracturing process? How does the composition of the flowback 

and produced water vary as a function of management practices and local geology? 
107 

A6. In some cases flow back, produced water, and drilling fluids can be distinguished by their chemical signatures. In general, water recovered from a well may 

be a mixture of all three. The recovery of hydraulic fracturing water tends to be 

high at first then decline over time; it may take an extended period to recover the 

hydraulic fracturing fluid, and some portion will likely remain in the producing formation indefinitely. The recovery of flowback water depends on the nature of the 

target formation and the hydraulic fracturing pressures and volumes. 

Q7. What existing treatment technologies are currently being used to treat hydraulic 

fracturing wastewater? 

A7. There are proprietary equipment and processes for treating hydraulic fracturing wastewater on-site. In some states the wastewater has been transported to 

public wastewater treatment plants. In Michigan all hydraulic fracturing wastewater must be recycled or disposed of in deep disposal wells. 

a. How do the form and potential impacts of wastewater treatment and disposal vary 

across the country and across geological formations where hydraulic fracturing is 

practiced? 

A7a. Appropriate treatment and disposal techniques vary depending primarily on 

dissolved salt content. In Michigan the dissolved salt content is typically relatively 

high, so treatment and discharge or reuse for other purposes is generally not practical. 

b. What states regulate hydraulic fracturing under the Underground Injection Control program of the Safe Drinking Water Act? 

A7b. To my knowledge only Alabama regulates hydraulic fracturing under the Underground Injection Control program. The Alabama regulations were necessitated by 

a federal court ruling in a lawsuit brought by an environmental interest group. The 

regulations are limited and apply only to hydraulic fracturing of shallow coal beds. 

Questions submitted by Representative Paul Tonko 

Q1. For the record, it is my understanding that the practice of hydraulic fracturing 

includes fracturing technology combined with a number of different technologies, 

some which have been developed in the last 20 years, are being used to access shale 

gas. My question for the panel is why do we continue to hear that these technologies 

have been used to access shale gas for 60 years? 

A1. The primary other technology that may be used in conjunction with hydraulic 

fracturing is horizontal drilling, which has been used commercially since the 1980s. 

Q2. What is the industry doing to continue this technological evolution to cleaner 

technologies? 

A2. The service companies that carry out hydraulic fracturing operations are 

developingnew ′′greener′′ chemical additives as well as ways to reduce the volume 

of water needed. 
108 

ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Dr. Cal Cooper, Manager, Worldwide Environmental Technologies, 

Greenhouse Gas, and Hydraulic Fracturing, Apache Corporation 

Questions submitted by Chairman Ralph Hall 

Q1. FracFocus is a voluntary website that discloses the additives used in fracking 

fluids. Some people have advocated that this disclosure should be mandatory. 

a.Is this necessary, or are the voluntary measures enough? 

A1a. Apache encourages States to require mandatory reporting of the additives 

used in frac fluids to the FracFocus website. In Texas this was recently enabled by 

a legislative bill, but generally State Regulators have the power to require disclosure by Rule without new legislation. In Louisiana rules have been proposed by 

LOC that would require disclosure like FracFocus to a public website. 

Apache does not see the need for a Federal mandate. 

b. How does the information disclosed on this website compare with the information 

companies provide to State regulators? 

A1b. The FracFocus site consolidates essential information; it allows for geographical searching of well locations and also provides separate technical and statutory explanations that are generally not part of state records. FracFocus is designed 

to be user friendly and current. It is substantially more efficient than freedom of 

information records release. Furthermore the website minimizes the costs to state 

government agencies of making this information available to the public. The final 

well reports filed by operators with state regulators contain proscribed technical information including copies of well logs. This includes mostly standard details not directly related to HF completions, but also includes information about the completions including pressures and injected volumes. Only a few states require disclosure 

of additive composition. All reported information is eventually available to the public but the information is not designed to be user friendly or understood by non-specialists. Some States make public, and allow commercial entities to reproduce, publish and sell well logs and well reports, usually one year after completion. 

Q2. In your written, testimony you note that the success of any scientific evaluation 

hinges, in large part, on the clarity and focus involved in the prioritization of testing. 

a.Could you please articulate the specific flaws in the EPA Draft Plan’s 

prioritization? 

A2a. The essential flaw is that EPA categorically avoids any meaningful 

prioritization whatsoever in a scientific sense. Referring to the Draft Plan, page 4 

under section: 2.3 Research Prioritization the text suggests that the (only) priority 

is to study hydraulic fracturing in shale formations based on stakeholder input. 

That would be the public outcry perceived from EPA public hearings, as opposed to 

any scientific reasoning evident in the EPA plan. The white-wash goes on to boldly 

claim that’’ EPA used a risk-based prioritization approach to identify research that 

addresses the most significant risks.’’ but the Draft Plan offers absolutely no information on how this was done, or what criteria was included a technical risk matrix. 

It does not rank any particular scientific question more worthy of investigation than 

another. It does not even pretend to focus on any areas considered as the greatest 

risk to water resources. Instead it refers to itself as a ‘‘comprehensive study.’’ The 

unfocused, unrisked ‘‘comprehensive’’ EPA plan covers almost every imaginable base 

will easily cost 100’s of millions of dollars and take probably a decade or more to 

complete. 

In his testimony before this committee Mr. Anastas flatly contradicts the written 

words in the EPA Draft Plan and declares that ‘‘ This study is intended to understand the factors that potentially could result in impact to drinking water from HF. 

the factors that are the basis of whether or not a risk exists . . .This study is not 

intended to be a risk assessment.’’ He goes on to recognize that ‘‘for there to be a 

risk there needs to be the elements of both hazard and exposure.’’ Clearly in the study 

plan the focus in on identifying hazards of every imaginable type without any indication that they will quantify exposure. Risk analysis (see below) is not contemplated. 

For it to be a scientific study, it must start by asking questions like a scientist, 

test concepts, and start where you expect to get the most impact based on analysis. 

The current approach appears to invent problems in order to fund everyone who 

wants funding. It also gives the EPA total flexibility to do whatever it wants with 

the funding it gets, effectively neutering any oversight guidance. Is this what Congress intends? 

b. What specific areas of existing knowledge have been ignored or under-represented? 
109 

A2b. The biggest omission is the whole area of quantitative risk analysis (different 

from relative scientific risk). HF is a moderately complex industrial process with 

considerable variation in its application. The process and its applications lend themselves to an analysis of the risk of occurrence that other regulatory agencies now 

demand. Without understanding a risk of occurrence or a risk of magnitude of a potential problem, the EPA cannot legitimately propose or promulgate science based 

rules for HF. 

Generally there is a complete aversion to addressing concentrations of concern for 

chemicals and any acknowledgement about the impact that expected dilution will 

have on concentration effect. In other words, all ‘‘bad chemicals’’ and ‘‘feared constituents’’ have equal standing. There is little or no proposed investigation linking 

pathways for contamination and how these change with time. 

In spite of its broad scope, the study almost fails to address subsurface context, 

which is essential to test many scientific ideas. Sometimes one wonders if EPA intends to appreciate Darcy’s law and the difficulty of circulating fluids across 1000’s 

of m of rock (or not). 

c. What impact might this have on the effectiveness of the study as whole, and subsequently on its impact on improving the safety and risk management of hydraulic 

fracturing operations? 

A2c. All of the responses in part ‘‘b’’ above will result in a significantly less effective study and handicap any interpretation that hopes to positively improve safety 

and risk management. 

Q3. In your testimony you state that it would be helpful for EPA to collaborate with 

industry to identify and prioritize the chemical additives of greatest concern, based 

on regionally ‘‘specific information for different shale gas formations, analysis of 

their true presence in produced waters, and the actual risks to the public. 

a. In your opinion, has the EPA made a significant effort to accomplish this goal— 

either in this specific study or in separate endeavors? 

A3a. Following my testimony before this committee, Mr. Anastas suggested to me 

that EPA might like to explore such an opportunity. One month later, no one from 

EPA has suggested any follow-up. I remain hopeful that this only reflects other 

pressing priorities. 

As Mr. Anastas explained to me, EPA lawyers limit his ability to communicate, 

even to a Congressional committee. So before this committee, EPA uses legal posturing to inhibit and frame scientific discussion. Industry sees this and concludes 

that EPA seems more mindful of positioning for consent decree negotiations than 

seeking scientific truth. I believe that many in industry would welcome an honestly 

brokered joint scientific effort to address the effective mitigation of risks associated 

with HF chemicals. 

In the past week, Mr. Anastas publicly announced that EPA has released toxicology studies on some 500 chemicals. So applying the concept to HF chemicals 

would align with current EPA technical strengths. 

b. Is this collaborative activity necessary to developing alternative additives? 

A3b. It is not absolutely necessarily in the sense that industry is migrating in 

that direction on its own, albeit not with the clarity of purpose and confidence that 

a positive engagement from the EPA would provide. It scares me a bit that EPA 

might be afraid to engage because they are constrained by technical capacity to definitively impact the outcome in a scientific sense. In other words, in a scientific 

sense we may be all charting new ground, and EPA may not have the bench 

strength required to provide guidance. 

c. Is collaboration fundamental to developing the best practices to protect the environment and the public, while ensuring the success and safety of unlocking vital energy 

resources through hydraulic fracturing? 

A3c. Collaboration between industry, state regulators and EPA will be the most 

effective and credible way to develop the best practices for environmental protection. 

In many cases industry can develop and validate best practices for operations without any external input, however there are unusual distinctions in competencies in 

the case of chemicals and public protection. The industry is not an authority on the 

relative chemical risk to public health and bioaccumulation. EPA, with the support 

of other national institutes should be better equipped to provide scientifically sound 

input if it chooses to engage constructively instead of in an adversarial way. EPA 

needs to remember that science is not law and is not tested using legal constructs. 

Q4. It seems many of the alleged environmental concerns associated with fracking— 

such as wastewater discharge—are not actually associated with the hydraulic 

fracking process and indeed exist at all oil and gas production, activities regardless of whether fracking occurs. Does EPA properly distinguish between these 

categories in-its study plan? How can this distinction be improved? 
110 

A4. Dealing with produced water discharge is an essential part of oil and gas production everywhere. All states have regulations regarding water standards for discharge, and most oil and gas producing states prefer for produced water to be reinjected unless it meets specific high quality standards by treatment. So to frame 

the concerns properly, EPA must identify where waste water disposal is an issue, 

and why, and then put the scientific information in context as opposed to making 

sweeping generalizations about exceptional cases. 

EPA in its study proposal tends to emphasize disposal concerns that are particular to the Appalachian basin and the Marcellus due to the fact that subsurface 

disposal of water is not currently a viable option, especially in Pennsylvania. 

Straight re-injection is the safest technique. When re-injection is not possible, most 

industry operators consider it a best practice to clean-up and re-use produced waters 

in subsequent frac jobs effectively re-injecting it instead of disposing it on the surface. In the draft plan, EPA seems to ignore this option or exaggerate the risk of 

frac fluid re-injection without any scientific support. Pennsylvania recently asked 

operators to voluntarily recycle frac fluids in subsequent frac jobs. 

EPA would benefit from recognition that fracing in an important technique in 

nearly every hydrocarbon producing basin and that the New York Times is not a 

good source for explanation of industry practice in a general sense. 

Questions submitted by Representative Chip Cravaack 

Q1. Hydraulic fracturing has been in use since the 1950s and according your testimony, over 1 million wells in the United States have been fracked. However, there 

have been very few incidents and according to Mrs. Jones, there are states’ such as 

Texas that currently effectively regulate the practice. How we put the risks of hydraulic fracturing into perspective, when there are so many economic and societal benefits? 

A1. HF like any significant industrial process is not without risk, and it is almost 

inevitable that some unfortunate accidents will occur. Acknowledging and managing 

risk is the only path forward. This also means separating hyperbole and false accusations from the facts. 

I’m writing this on an airplane thinking that there are many risks associated with 

flying, but it seems many people readily accept those risks, and statistics show that 

driving is a greater risk. We as a nation need dependable, low cost clean energy 

delivered to our doorsteps and the opportunity to build our economy and create jobs 

cannot be ignored. We must learn to manage risk, and we certainly have the intellectual capacity and the organizational ability to manage risk effectively if we accept 

the challenge. 

Q2. Many people are concerned about the waste water that is created as part of the 

fracturing process. Can you please describe the current technologies that are 

available to help recycle these fluids? 

A2. Recycling waste water benefits from both low tech and high tech applications. 

It normally starts with some pretty simple gravitational separation process, and 

sometimes agents are added to precipitate suspended solids or neutralize pH. Pressure and temperature changes are leveraged to remove dissolved gasses especially 

natural gas. Some companies use advanced filtration or membrane separation techniques, and others use what are ‘‘flash’’ water distillation techniques. Much technical development is focused on high volume, high-energy efficient purification techniques at affordable costs. 

As described in responses to Mr. Hall above, re-injection of frac fluids and produced water or ‘‘recycling’’ partially treated fluids in subsequent frac jobs seems like 

a very viable, low tech solution, where it is practical and possible. 

Questions submitted by Representative Honorable Paul Tonko 

Q1. For the record, it is my understanding that the practice of hydraulic fracturing 

includes fracturing technology combined with a number of different technologies, 

some which have been developed in the last 20 years, are being used to access shale 

gas. My question for the panel is why do we continue to hear that these technologies 

have been used to access shale gas for 60 years? 

A1. Industry first developed hydraulic fracturing techniques for hydrocarbon reservoirs in the late 1940’s and the techniques have been constantly improving since 

then. The first HF applications in shales began in the early 1980’s and gained momentum in the 1990’s, and have consistently become both more effective and more 

economic every year. Certainly there has been considerable technological innovation. 

Aviation enthusiasts attribute the first flight to the Wright brothers, but modern 

aviation has come a long way since then. Extending the analogy to hydraulic frac-
111 

turing of shales, the 1990’s ended with a DC–3. Today we are doing jumbo jets and 

testing the Dreamliner for commercialization. Most people are a lot more comfortable with the safety record and performance of jumbo jets than the earlier models. 

Q2. What is the industry doing to continue this technological evolution to cleaner 

technologies? 

There is a lot of focus on alternative chemicals, clean-up and recycling water, and 

especially looking performance associated with using saline brine water instead of 

fresh water and re-injecting it into saline aquifers. 

Some other promising areas include concentration of facilities onto single pads 

with longer offset horizontal wells to reduce surface footprint, the substitution of dry 

chemicals instead of liquid chemicals for delivery, and switching engines to use natural gas power instead of diesel that will reduce GHG emissions by 25%. The oil 

and gas industry has a long history of innovation and much intellectual energy is 

directed toward improving the process and minimizing the environmental impact of 

hydraulic fracturing. 
112 

ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Dr. Michael Economides, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston 

Questions submitted by Representative Ralph Hall 

Q1. How useful is the current scope and breadth of the EPA study to State regulators 

and risk managers? What would be needed in order to make the study more worthwhile? 

A1. I think the EPA study is flawed on its premise in the first place. It is a blind 

attempt to castigate fracturing in a thinly disguised anti-natural gas attempt. Certain environmental groups have tried to link this widespread oil and gas well completion technique with a variety of ills, the most insidious of them all that drinking 

water aquifers might be contaminated. Others include spreading radioactivity and, 

of course, attacking the very rationale for doing it in the first place. Shale gas, the 

target of the recently enormous enhancement in industry activity may not be what 

is cracked out to be. 

Last year more than 35,000 wells were drilled in the United States and 120,000 

hydraulic fracturing treatments were executed, more than three stages per well on 

average. Not one case of drinking water contamination was reported. Case closed 

one would think. The refrain is even more impressionable: Sixty years of fracturing, 

covering more than 1.2 million wells and the only ‘‘news story’’—in the latest NYT 

piece is one from 1984 in West Virginia? Case closed again, one would reasonably 

think even further. 

Q2. In your written testimony you note that EPA expects to draw conclusions in its 

final report from a single year of research. You also mention that in most funded 

projects you rarely see any that can even get started in a year’s time. 

a. In your opinion, what circumstances, influences or objectives lead the EPA to use 

only one year of research to inform their overall findings? 

b. How does this time frame tangibly impact the value and applicabilty of the EPA 

study? What flaws, misrepresentations, or information gaps might be present as a result of such a time frame? 

A2a and b. This is an amusing situation. On the one hand I think the whole study 

is an exercise in futility. If what they will do is just study 4 ‘‘suspect wells’’ then 

this may be sufficient time but this is precisely the problem that I see from a biased 

approach. One year is a very short period of time for any substantive research and 

evaluation of the literally hundreds to thousands of jobs that one should study to 

reach conclusions that are not biased. In my view in such case there will be an almost foregone verdict: The EPA quest is a non-issue. Fracturing is clearly safe. 

Q3. In your testimony you note that the EPA studyspecifically excludes the State 

agencies’ experiences in hydraulic fracturing oversight and research from the Study 

plan. 

a. In your opinion what is the implication of this omission, what direction does it 

indicate for the EPA’s focus and intended impact of the Study plan? 

b. What lessons could have been learned or what valuable information could have 

been included with an incorporation of the State agencies’ experiences into the EPA 

Study plan? 

A3a and b. The States such as the state of Texas and Pennsylvania have had a 

lengthy and substantive experience for the regulation and smooth operation of hydraulic fracturing. EPA oversight would mean only an additional layer of bureaucracy without any benefit to the environment but certainly a yet another obstacle for 

the industry, based on a totally unproven premise and innuendo. 

Q4. The movie Gasland dramatically depicts scenes of alleged water contamination 

caused by hydraulic fracking.The movie was nominated for an Oscar, yet much of 

the substance and detail of the movie appears to have been discredited as false and 

misleading. What are some examples of the most common misconceptions or misleading information about hydraulic fracturing that are advanced in the media and 

by anti-energy activists? 

A4. (This from my work with Peter Glover, published in my Energy Tribune.) 

Gasland treads the same fear-inducing path of Al Gore’s Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth. It presents a simplistically stark contrast between the pristine wilderness (where our intrepid self-proclaimed hippie film-maker lives) and the dark 

mutilated moonscape (where ‘evil’ Big Gas is slowly poisoning natural water resources). As with Gore’s power-point ‘epic’—later ripped apart in the factual stakes 

by a British high court judge—Gasland loses credibility from the start, as Debunk-
113 

ing Gasland, a rebuttal report from Energy in Depth, on behalf of the nation’s gas 

and oil producers, revealed last summer. 

This review will follow an outline similar to Debunking Gasland which falls into 

a handful of key areas: mis-statements on the law, mis-representation of the rules, 

mis-characterization of the process and ‘‘flat-out making stuff up’’, including the recycling of discredited claims. 

Within seconds of the film opening we glimpse (just glimpse) a shot of George W’s 

‘evil’ sidekick and former Halliburton CEO and Chairman—and thus an ‘energy 

shill’—Dick Cheney. This movie technique sets us up for what’s to come, when Fox 

informs us: ‘‘What I didn’t know was that in 2005 the energy bill pushed through 

Congress by Dick Cheney exempts the oil and natural gas industries from the Clean 

Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Superfund 

Law, and about a dozen other environmental and democratic regulations.’’ Frightening. Or it would be, if the alleged ‘‘Halliburton Loophole’’ (in fact created by a 

cross-party alliance including the vote of one Barack Obama) were actually true. As 

an Energy in Depth factsheet points out, the oil and gas industry is regulated under 

every single one of these laws; in the case of the SDWA, being aggressively regulated at state level. But hey, this is Hollywood, right? ‘‘Print the legend’’ and all 

that...? 

Gasland goes on to cite the passing of the 2005 energy bill as declaring a ‘‘wild 

west’’ open season for domestic gas drilling, not least in Fox’s home state, Pennsylvania, on the Marcellus Shale. Fox fails to mention, however, that hydraulic fracturing has a 60 year history after Halliburton pioneered the process in 1949. Nor 

does he mention that the fracking process has been used in over 1.2 million treatments in 90 percent of all US gas (and many oil) extraction wells, conventional and 

unconventional, without a single documented instance of the process leading to the 

pollution of a water aquifer. Undaunted by facts, Fox goes on to assert that the law 

‘‘authorizes oil and gas drillers to inject hazardous materials, unchecked, directly 

into or adjacent to underground water supplies.’’ As Debunking Gasland states, ‘‘if 

such an outrageous thing were actually true, one assumes it wouldn’t have taken 

five years and a purveyor of the avant-garde to bring it to light’’. 

An hour in and Fox states: ‘‘the only reason we know about fracking chemicals 

is because of the work of Theo Colborn...by chasing down trucks...’’ Naughty, Josh. 

Even Fox’s home state of Pennsylvania requires that, ‘‘Drilling companies must disclose the name of all chemicals to be stored and used at a drilling site...’’ In fact, 

the safety sheets for all chemicals used in fracking are a matter of public record, 

though the actual mix may remain a proprietary issue. 

By now, the movie’s hype is in full flow: ‘‘in order to frack ... you need some 

fracking fluid—a mix of over 596 chemicals’’. To underline the point the figure appears full screen. Now the unsuspecting could only conclude that Big Gas is indeed 

pouring massive cocktails of chemicals into the ground. In reality, over 99.5 percent 

of the fracking fluid is water and sand. The rest are largely components used 

around the house, including gums and emulsifiers. As the US Department of Energy/Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) report states: ‘‘Although the hydraulic fracturing industry may have a number of compounds that can be used in a hydraulic fracturing fluid, any single fracturing job would only use a few of the available additives’’ (italics mine). 

The film-maker goes on to make a raft of assertions not based in fact. At one point 

he claims that the ‘‘Pinedale Anticline and Jonah gas fields [of Wyoming] are directly in the path of the thousand year old migration corridor of pronghorn antelope, 

mule deer and sage grouse.’’ As Debunking Gasland’s investigations revealed, however, only three species of pronghorn antelope are on the endangered list, and none 

are anywhere near Pinedale Anticline. Equally, so large are the numbers of Wyoming’s mule deer that the state now has an official mule deer hunting season. 

An EPA investigation into water contamination ‘‘due to hydraulic fracturing in 

Alabama’’ in 2004 elicits ‘‘no recollection’’ at all from the Alabama State Oil and Gas 

Board official responsible for oversight of fracking in the state at the time. An allegation that shortly after Fox interviewed a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection official, the department ‘‘suffered the worst budget cuts in its history, amounting to over 700 staff either being fired or having reduced hours’’ is 

shown to be blatantly untrue when a DEP press release is adduced revealing the 

DEP actually begun hiring ‘‘68 new personnel’’ in January 2010 specifically ‘‘to protect Pennsylvania’s residents and environment from the impact of increased natural 

gas exploration across the state’’. 

Next up, Fox presents us with a local resident from Dunkard Creek, Washington, 

Pa., who runs us through the unpleasant story of a 35-mile stretch of Creek full 

of dead fish in 2009. While Fox lays the blame at the feet of local natural gas development, nobody seems to have informed him that a pre-Gasland EPA report con-
114 

cluded the water pollution was attributable to a build up of toxic ‘‘algal bloom’’ the 

result of discharges from coal mines. Even the local newspaper chipped in to describe this Gasland gaffe as a ‘‘glaring error’’ 

Can You Light Your Water on Fire? 

Finally, and most iconic of all, there’s the much-vaunted and disturbing image of 

flammable running water from faucets. Gasland’s publicity posters and DVD cover 

asks: ‘‘Can You Light Your Water on Fire?’’ Well yes, apparently many can—but 

sadly for Gasland, for reasons au naturelle. Fox highlights the instance of a flammable faucet in Fort Lupton, Colorado pinning the blame on gas development. The 

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission however disagree, maintaining, 

‘‘Dissolved methane in well water appears to be biogenic [natural occurring] in origin’’ and they found ‘‘no indications of oil and gas related impacts to the water well.’’ 

And it’s not just the various EPA departments, including Fox’s own, whose studies 

have found hydraulic fracking to be a safe process. In September 2010, STRONGER 

(State review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations), an independent 

panel of national environmental, industry and EPA experts, not only pronounced 

Pennsylvania’s fracking process ‘‘safe in respect’’ to shale gas development, it went 

on to claim the state’s regulation process ‘‘merits special recognition’’. 

While some contaminated groundwater has been found in the proximity of fracked 

wells and where wells have not been properly completed, it is hard to detract from 

the success of an industry and procedure that offers an enormous boost to the economy, provides real jobs, and keeps domestic gas prices low, creates real jobs and 

drives the economy. These are aspects of public service provision that seem entirely 

alien to some backwoods-living, self-proclaimed, finger-picking hippies, however. 

Fox once told New York’s Time Out, ‘‘Art is more important than politics. Politics 

is people lying to you and simplifying everything: art is about contradictions’’. By 

Fox’s own subjective understanding, being entirely bereft of ‘‘contradictions’’ (or nuance), Gasland qualifies as ‘politics’. 

Made by ‘Docurama Films’ the logo on the DVD states: ‘‘Everything else is pure 

fiction’’. Removing the ‘‘else’’ and changing to ‘‘pure Hollywood’’ would be more on 

the money. 

Q5. It seems many of the alleged environmental concerns associated with fracking— 

such as wastewater discharge—are not actually associated with the hydraulic 

fracking process and indeed exist at all oil and gas production activities regardless 

of whether fracking occurs. Does EPA properly distinguish between these categories 

in its study plan? 

A5. The anti-fracking crusaders, have never bothered to distinguish or explain, 

that leaking from the very rare, badly cemented or cased well, even if the well was 

fractured (almost all are) does not make fracking the culprit. There is no physics 

to support connectivity between the induced fracture, done thousands of feet underground, that would contaminate drinking water aquifers, found at a few hundred 

feet depth. An occasional ‘‘scientist’’ may be enlisted to offer a fanciful connecting 

theory whose possibility is just south of being hit by lightning. Communicating 

through the well itself, undesirable as it may be, has nothing to do with fracking. 

Question submitted by Representative Chip Cravaak 

Q1. Hydraulic fracturing has been in use since the 1950s and according to Dr. Cooper’s testimony, over 1 million wells in the United States have been fracked. However, 

there have been very full incidents and according to Mrs. Jones, there are states such 

as Texas that currently effectively regulate the practice. How do we put the risks of 

hydraulic fracturing into perspective, when there are so many economic and societal 

benefits? 

A1. Mr. Cravaack. This is a self-explanatory issue in my view. Much of the opposition is a made up issue. Please see my answers above to Mr. Hall’s questions. 

Question submitted by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson 

Q1. Dr. Economides, during the hearing you were asked by Ms. Wilson (D-FL) to discuss how natural gas wells are monitored, You stated that the industry is ‘‘computer 

monitored in everything we do.’’ Please describe in detail what kinds of technologies 

are used to monitor gas wells, what properties are monitored at each well, and how 

these technologies could be improved through additional research. Additionally, 

please discuss what best practices could be shared with other states for monitoring 

gas wells. 

A1. The industry monitors wells with electronic devices, measuring rates, fraction 

of water, gas, pressure and other variables. Often large, SCADA based systems 
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monitor production and any irregularities, trigger alarms or cautions. The degree 

of sophistication ranges from manual recording (becoming rare) to satellite transmission to centralized control and monitoring centers. These systems are constantly 

improved and it is an active area of research by both the production and service 

indsutries. 

Questions submitted by Representative Paul Tonko 

Q1. For the record, it is my understanding that the practice of hydraulic fracturing 

includes fracturiing technology combined with a number of different technologies, 

some which have been developed in the last 20 years, are being used to access shale 

gas. My question for the panel is why do we continue to hear that these technologies 

have been used to access shale gas for 60 years? 

A1. Some shale gas has been produced for 60 years but the process has accelerated in the last ten and at a far faster pace the last five years. Fracturing of all 

other types of reservoirs (oil, tight gas, coal-bed methane) has been going on for 60 

years. 

Q2. What is the industry doing to coontinue this technological evolution to cleaner 

technologies? 

A2. I am not sure I understand this question. Do you mean to energy other than 

natural gas? You would be hard-pressed to find anything cleaner than natural gas. 
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ANSWERS TO POST-HEARING QUESTIONS

Responses by Dr. Paul Anastas, Administrator, Office of Research and Development, 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
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Appendix I 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR THE RECORD
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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR THE RECORD

Report Submitted by Dr. Michael J. Economides, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston 
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