Agency

Lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to consider the results of a recent study that concludes that hydraulic fracturing contributes to acute and chronic health problems when examining the potential risks of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on water quality and public health.

Natural gas and oil drilling could be slowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed New Source Performance Standards, resulting in less production and royalties, according to a study funded by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that was released Friday.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) appointed Zak Covar executive director for the agency effective May 1. Covar has served as deputy executive director since August 2009. He succeeds Mark Vickery, who is retiring from state government after 25 years of service. From 2005 to 2007, Covar worked as the environmental and natural resource adviser to Gov. Rick Perry and was responsible for advising the governor and senior staff on all major budget and policy issues pertaining to the TCEQ, the Railroad Commission of Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Chesapeake Energy has revealed that it is cooperating with a grand jury proceeding and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into the company’s Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance at certain sites in West Virginia.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inspecting natural gas development in Washington County, PA, to make sure it complies with federal environmental laws. The on-site inspections in late September included well pads and compressor stations at “multiple locations owned by multiple companies,” according to EPA Region III spokeswoman Bonnie Smith.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been conducting inspections of natural gas development in Washington County, PA, to make sure it complies with federal environmental laws.

President Obama’s fiscal 2013 budgets for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Interior (DOI) propose funding directed at assessing the impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of shale.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has extended an olive branch to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the dispute over preliminary results from two federally managed groundwater tests concerning contaminated natural gas wells near Pavillion, WY (see NGI, Dec. 12, 2011).

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has extended an olive branch to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials in the dispute over preliminary results from two federally managed groundwater test wells near Pavillion, WY, and the shallow hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of natural gas wells that dominate that portion of the state (see Shale Daily, Dec. 9, 2011).