Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel holds Public Teleconference

The EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) released a Federal Register Notice announcing a public teleconference of the Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel. The Panel will receive written and oral comments from the public on new and emerging information related to hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. The teleconference is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, 2013 from 12:00-5:00pm EST. To participate please email Ed Hanlon at hanlon.edward@epa.gov and see the Federal Register Notice for more information.

W.Va. AG, eight others file amicus brief in U.S. SC opposing cross-state air pollution regulations

By JESSICA M. KARMASEK

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Thursday that he and eight other state attorneys general have filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule on cross-state air pollution.

Morrisey is leading the bipartisan group in authoring the brief. He noted that it is the first time — he believes — in two decades that a West Virginia attorney general has taken the lead in authoring a brief in the nation’s high court involving the EPA.

The EPA Shut Down Three Separate Investigations of Fracking Contamination

In recent weeks, EPA whistle-blowers have exposed how the EPA has repeatedly shut down its own fracking-related water contamination investigations after being pressured by the oil and gas industry.

This is unbelievable, and totally unacceptable.

We know the risk that fracking poses to our drinking water, and so does the EPA. That's why they opened these cases to investigate drinking water contamination in the first place.

Judge says EPA may have tried to skirt information law with 'secret' email accounts

from FOX News

A federal judge says the Environmental Protection Agency's use of personal email accounts may have been aimed at skirting public disclosure requirements.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled Wednesday that a conservative public interest law firm, the Landmark Legal Foundation, can question and obtain records from EPA officials as part of the firm's Freedom of Information lawsuit against the federal agency.

The judge granted Landmark the right to seek the information to determine whether top EPA officials used personal email accounts to conduct official business -- and whether the agency initially excluded those accounts from Landmark's Freedom of Information request.

Internal EPA report highlights disputes over fracking and well water

An EPA staff report suggests methane from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, contaminated wells near Dimock, Pa., but the agency says the water's safe to drink.

A natural gas fracking operation on leased farmland near Dimock, Pa.  The EPA says water from most wells in the area is still safe to drink,  but critics and an internal EPA report suggest that the drilling method  is causing methane contamination. (Caroline Cole / Los Angeles Times)