The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered a natural gas company in Forth Worth, Texas, to take immediate action to protect homeowners living near one of its drilling operations who have complained about flammable and bubbling drinking water coming out of their tap.
EPA testing has confirmed that extremely high levels of methane in their water pose an imminent and substantial risk of explosion or fire. EPA has also found other contaminants including benzene, which can cause cancer, in their drinking water.
EPA said natural gas drilling near the homes by Range Resources (NYSE: RRC) in Parker County, Texas, has caused or contributed to the contamination of at least two residential drinking water wells. Parker County is located west of Fort Worth, Texas.
Range Resources refuted the claim.
EPA ordered the company to step in immediately to stop the contamination, provide drinking water and provide methane gas monitors to the homeowners. Under the order, Range Resources also is required to develop a plan to remediate areas of the aquifer that have been contaminated.
EPA said it has been in contact with a rural water system operator approximately 1 mile away, and it is taking steps to test its water for natural gas constituents.
The uncontrolled release of natural gas can be dangerous since it is odorless and flammable and it escapes facilities. Uncontrolled release of natural gas inside a building or home can cause a fire or explosion. Drinking water contaminated with natural gas impurities such as benzene have been linked with cancer.
"EPA believes that natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing that vital resource. However, we want to make sure natural gas development is safe. As we announced earlier this year, we are in the process of conducting a comprehensive study on the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water," EPA said in a release.
In Related News…
New York Governor David Paterson on Saturday halted hydraulic fracturing in the state until July and ruled no such drilling take place until environmental regulators deem it safe.
Read Reuters coverage at the link below.
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