The American Petroleum Institute (API) recently called out the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), claiming the organization abandoned science in revising the conclusions to the assessment report on hydraulic fracturing.

"It is beyond absurd for the administration to reverse course on its way out the door," says API Upstream Director Erik Milito. "The agency has walked away from nearly 1,000 sources of information from published papers, technical reports and peer reviewed scientific reports demonstrating that industry practices, industry trends and regulatory programs protect water resources at every step of the hydraulic fracturing process. Decisions like this amplify the public's frustrations with Washington.”   

Fortunately, Milito says, the science and data demonstrate that hydraulic fracturing does not lead to widespread impacts to drinking water resources. He expressed that API looks forward to working with the new administration in order to instill fact-based science back into the public policy process.

API says the United States is not only leading the world in the production of oil and natural gas due to fracking, it is also leading the world in reducing carbon emissions.

EPA's original findings are supported by academics and specialists in oil and gas engineering operations, hydrology and geology, according to API, which says a list of supporting evidence includes findings that no drinking water contamination as a result of hydraulic fracturing was found in the Marcellus, the Utica, the Barnett, the Permian, the Eagle Ford, the Woodford, the Fayetteville, the Haynesville, the Bakken, the Denver- Julesburg, the Piceance, the Raton, or any other shale formation where oil and gas resources are being developed through hydraulic fracturing.

API is a national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API's more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation's energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 30 million Americans. To learn more about API, visit www.api.org.