Hydraulic Fracturing Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Natural gas plays a key role in our nation's clean energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing that vital resource. Hydraulic fracturing is used by gas producers to stimulate wells and recover natural gas from sources such as coalbeds and shale gas formations. Hydraulic fracturing is also used for other applications including oil recovery. Over the past few years, several key technical, economic, and energy policy developments have spurred increased use of hydraulic fracturing for gas extraction over a wider diversity of geographic regions and geologic formations. Along with the expansion of hydraulic fracturing, there have been increasing concerns about its potential impacts on drinking water resources, public health, and environmental impacts in the vicinity of these facilities.

Draft Guidance: Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels

EPA has developed draft Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II permitting guidance for oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels. This document describes information useful in permitting the underground injection of oil- and gas-related hydraulic fracturing using diesel fuels where EPA is the permitting authority. EPA's goal is to improve compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements and strengthen environmental protections consistent with existing law.

• Press Release
• Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels Draft - Underground Injection Program Guidance #84 (PDF) (55 pp, 860K, About PDF), EPA 816-R-12-004 
• Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 2MB, About PDF), EPA 816-K-12-001
• Federal Register notice The Agency invites comment, particularly on the topics presented in the notice.
• The draft guidance is open for comment from May 10, 2012 to July 9, 2012.
  To comment, use one of the following methods, and specify Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-1013:
• Online: Go to www.regulations.gov, and follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: OW-Docket@epa.gov.
• Mail: Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels - Draft, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 4606M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460.
• Hand Delivery: Office of Water (OW) Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.


• Opportunities to participate in public meetings and/or webinars will be published in the Federal Register and on the Outreach section of this website.


• Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan
• Natural Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing