"EPA Made Changes To Fracking Study After White House Meeting"

"U.S. EPA's contentious assertion that hydraulic fracturing hasn't caused 'widespread, systemic' problems with drinking water was added shortly after agency officials met with Obama White House officials to discuss 'messaging,' according to documents obtained by public radio reporters.

Their report, aired on 'Marketplace,' said the executive summary and press release originally made a bland but contrary point — that scientists had found 'potential vulnerabilities.'

The story cites a draft of the executive summary from April 24, 2015, in which the phrase 'widespread, systemic' did not appear. Instead, it said that fracturing activities 'have contaminated drinking water resources.' But it said the number of cases was low.

Ten days later, on May 4, 2015, the EPA team working on the study visited the White House along with top staffers from the Interior and Energy departments. They met with Dan Utech, Obama's top aide on energy and climate issues. The discussion focused on 'messaging,' according to minutes of a meeting held shortly after the White House session."

Mike Soraghan reports for EnergyWire December 5, 2016.