The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) independent Science Advisory Board (SAB) announced the formation of a Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to review US EPA's 2014 draft report of results for its national study on potential health and environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The SAB panel of 31 independent experts will provide scientific feedback on US EPA’s research in an open and transparent manner and provide peer review of the 2014 report. Also, the SAB's panel will seek input from applied science practitoners in the field and provide scientific feedback on the US EPA's research. Also US EPA will hold a series of public meetings with stakeholders and public webinars, technical roundtables, and technical workshops.
The SAB panel is comprised of five current employees of companies and consulting firms; two government employees; and 21 academics/university professors (including some previously employed in industry). It has at least three experts in each of the following nine areas of expertise that were sought for the panel: Petroleum/Natural Gas Engineering; Petroleum/Natural Gas Well Drilling; Hydrology/Hydrogeology; Geology /Geophysics; Groundwater Chemistry/Geochemistry; Toxicology/Biology; Statistics; Civil Engineering; and Waste Water and Drinking Water Treatment. On May 7 and 8, 2013, the SAB panel will convene a meeting to provide individual feedback from panel members regarding US EPA’s 2012 progress report on the study. The public also will have the opportunity to provide comments for the panel’s consideration.
More information on the SAB’s Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory panel and its activities is available on the US EPA website.