Thursday, December 1, 2011

Sen. Hoeven says EPA not looking to halt fracking

By Nick Smith

The Environmental Protection Agency is not planning a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, while a study on the process is conducted.

This was the message from the office of U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) on Tuesday.

Hoeven released this message Tuesday afternoon to address concerns from North Dakota residents and the oil and gas industry that the EPA may be planning to do so.

Hoeven participated in a conference call with EPA officials on Tuesday and was assured that the agency is to provide a process for the state of North Dakota input on diesel fracking guidelines before they’re finalized.

According to a press release from Hoeven’s office, officials in charge of the EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water as well as the Drinking Water Protection Division told Hoeven that the state will continue to be the primary regulator of fracking issues. The EPA will issue diesel guidelines in a draft form sometime in early 2012, which will then be followed by a public review process.

“At a time when western North Dakota needs to attract private-sector investments in everything from heavy housing to grocery stores to hotels to restaurants, the EPA must provide the kind of certainty investors need to make decisions,” Hoeven said. 

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