Hydraulic Fracturing: Beyond Name Calling to Real Environmental Protection

Shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing issues and opportunities are often politically-charged, emotion-filled debates. There's a need to share more facts, identify data gaps and policy choices, and discuss practical steps to reduce risks. This series will bring together experts in water, energy, and conservation to explore the most important issues and disclose the most successful steps to prevent problems through each stage of the process, from locating an operation to site closure and restoration. The webinars won't be "technical" but will involve presenters with technical expertise from industry, and regulatory, policy, and environmental NGO sectors.  Join us on Tuesday, January 15, for the first discussion: "Knowing Your Watershed and Assessing Potential Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts".   Ben Grumbles, president of the U.S. Water Alliance and former EPA Assistant Administrator will moderate the series.

This is a 4 part series - You will only need to provide your contact information once.  Each additional webcast you will just need to enter your email address and password.

Part 1: Knowing Your Watershed and Assessing Potential Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts - Now available for on demand viewing, please click here to view now.

Part 2: Transparency That Benefits All -- Disclosing Fracturing Fluids and Operations

Understanding the hydraulic fracturing process and the total life cycle of water involved, from beginning to end, are keys to environmental success and public acceptance. EPA will give a progress report on its comprehensive national study on risks to drinking water and a representative of state regulatory agencies and FracFocus (fracfocus.org), the national chemical registry for fracking fluids and operations, will describe state and local efforts to increase public transparency.  Participants will also discuss some of the latest developments on the policy debate between a community's right to know and an owner's right to protect "legitimate trade secrets."  Now available for on demand viewing, please click here to view now.

Part 3: Practical Considerations for Management, Re-use, and Disposal of "Waste" Waters

Part 4: Closure and Restoration: Final Considerations