Halliburton refuses to comply with EPA’s fracking information request
Halliburton is the only company that has refused to voluntarily provide the Environmental Protection Agency with key information about its hydraulic fracturing,
Jul 31, 2020254.2K Shares3.5M Views
Halliburton is the only company that has refused to voluntarily provide the Environmental Protection Agency with key information about its hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” operations. As a result, the EPA announced todaythat it will force the company to comply with its request.
In September, the EPA sent voluntary information requeststo nine hydraulic fracturing service companies. The agency requested information on the chemicals injected into the ground to loosen natural gas buried deep under the earth’s surface, as well as information on the affects of the chemicals on human health and the environment.
Eight of the nine companies either complied with the request or made commitments to comply. Halliburton did not; as a result, the EPA has subpoenaedthe company for the information.
The data is essential for completing a congressionally mandated study on fracking. The agency hopes to finish the study by 2012. The study is expected to be the basis for future regulation of the controversial practice.
Environmentalists have long criticized fracking, arguing that the chemicals used to extract the natural gas can find their way into drinking water. They have also raised questions about the lack of transparency about what kind and what amounts of chemicals are used in the practice. Many fracking companies refuse to reveal the specific mixture of chemicals they use, arguing that the information is proprietary.
Rhyley Carney
Reviewer
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