Wednesday, Jun 29 2011 4:37PM
How fracking affects drinking water is a concern among many rural Colorado residents.
Lisa Jackson, Administrator with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), spoke to some rural Colorado residents recently about the future implementation of air quality regulations regarding gas drilling and air pollution.
New regulations will soon be adopted after a two-year air quality study focused on the effects of natural gas drilling, or "fracking," is completed, Jackson stated.
Many Colorado residents are concerned fracking could cause environmental and health hazards to communities where the practice occurs. However, Jackson said the EPA is working to ensure no issues arise from fracking.
"There is a lot of activity around those wells and that has an impact on air quality - and we know it already," Jackson told National Public Radio.
One area Jackson said the EPA is focusing on protecting is groundwater. She stated the agency intends to make sure drinking water is safe by monitoring and testing water sources near fracking sites.
In addition to the EPA, reports say oil and gas regulators in Colorado want to hire an independent firm to monitor drinking water.