Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

U.S. EPA Releases Report On Fracking

Ohio Public Radio

The U.S. EPA recently issued its full report on the risks of fracking. It's a report that was changed at the last minute, which has drawn criticism from environmental activists. Tim Rudell of member station WKSU in Kent has more on what the study mandated by Congress six years ago did and did not say.

It did not settle the question of whether fracking does or does not pose a threat to drinking water. The Agency’s summary cites too many gaps in available data to reach a definitive conclusion.

Paul Feezel is with Concerned Citizens of Carroll County. Carroll is one of the most ‘fracked’ counties in Ohio; and an estimated ninety-five percent of its water for drinking and farming comes from ground and surface water sources.

This report kind of highlights again that: here we are, years into this boom, and at the same time that drilling increases we still have lots of unanswered questions about how we ensure safety, or what to even look for.”

The EPA summary did list potentially risky practices that state and local regulators should watch for when monitoring fracking.

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
Related Content