Indie petro group president: Industry’s fracking practices are safe
Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) President and CEO Barry Russell released a statement in June after attaching support to a letter sent to President Barack Obama by a number of companies, organizations and associations.
In his letter, Russell said, “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft assessment, once again, shows that hydraulic fracturing is a consistently safe process that has been effectively regulated by the states. While the EPA may point out some processes that warrant increased attention, the industry has been and will continue to work closely with regulators and stakeholders to ensure that natural gas and oil production protects the environment and the safety of nearby communities.
“A continuing question, moving forward, will be EPA’s actual definition of ‘hydraulic fracturing.’ In the draft report, the agency appears to take a very broad definition and scope of fracturing and categorizes some processes that are not part of actual fracturing activity, such as casing and cementing of wells.