[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 218 (Friday, November 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67361-67362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27452]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674; FRL-9750-8]


Request for Information To Inform Hydraulic Fracturing Research 
Related to Drinking Water Resources

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: EPA is inviting the public to submit data and scientific 
literature to inform EPA's research on the potential impacts of 
hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources.

DATES: EPA will accept data and literature in response to this request 
until April 30, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Using the online method is preferred for submitting 
information. Follow the online instructions at http://www.regulations.gov, and identify your submission with Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674.
    Additional methods for submission are:
     Email: Send information by electronic mail (email) to: 
[email protected], Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674.
     Fax: Fax information to: (202) 566-9744, Attention Docket 
ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674.
     Mail: Send information by mail to: U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver information to: EPA 
Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. 
NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0674. 
Deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of 
operation, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Eastern), Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. Special arrangements should be made 
for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your information to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2010-0674. EPA's policy is that all information received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov 
or email. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means the EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an email comment directly to the EPA without going through 
www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit information 
electronically, EPA recommends that you include your name and other 
contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or 
CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be 
able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of 
special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects 
or viruses. Information on a CD ROM should be formatted as a MS Word, 
Rich Text or Adobe Acrobat PDF file. For additional information about 
EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the 
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at EPA Docket Center, EPA West 
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The 
Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern), 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number 
for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number 
for the ORD Docket is (202) 566-1752.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Lisa 
Matthews, Mail Code 8101R, Office of Research and Development, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; via phone/voice mail at: (202) 564-6669; via fax 
at: (202) 565-2430; or via email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 67362]]

Background

    In response to public concern, the U.S. Congress urged EPA to 
conduct scientific research to examine the relationship between 
hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. EPA is undertaking a 
study to understand the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on 
drinking water resources, if any, and to identify the driving factors 
that may affect the severity and frequency of such impacts.
    The scope of the study includes the full hydraulic fracturing water 
lifecycle--from water acquisition, through the mixing of chemicals and 
injection of fracturing fluids, to the post-fracturing stage, including 
the management of flowback and produced water and its ultimate 
treatment and disposal. The study will include a review of the 
published literature, analysis of existing data, scenario evaluation 
and modeling, laboratory studies and case studies.
    To ensure that EPA is up-to-date on evolving hydraulic fracturing 
practices and technologies, EPA is soliciting public involvement in 
identifying relevant data and scientific literature specific to inform 
EPA's research study on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing 
on drinking water resources. While EPA conducts a thorough literature 
search, there may be studies or other primary technical sources that 
are not available through the open literature. EPA would appreciate 
receiving information from the public to help inform current and future 
research and ensure a robust record of scientific information. 
Consistent with our commitment to using the highest quality 
information, EPA prefers information which has been peer reviewed. 
Interested persons may provide scientific analyses, studies and other 
pertinent scientific information. EPA will consider all submissions but 
will give preference to peer reviewed data and literature sources.

    Dated: November 5, 2012.
E. Ramona Trovato,
Associate Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 2012-27452 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P