The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is feeling the heat for its oversight of wastewater generated by the oil and gas industries, according to an article from the Desert Sun. A report from the Government Accountability Office faults the EPA for its failure to adequately collect information from regulators regarding inspections and enforcement activities designed to safeguard underground sources of drinking water.
The lapse in reporting is related to regulatory programs directed at the growing amount of wastewater that is routed back into aquifers through class II injection wells. According to the article, more than 176,000 class II wells are located across the country. The GAO says that without sufficient and specific data collection, the EPA cannot accurately assess whether inspection programs are meeting their goals.
Read the entire article here.
