Oil industry officials react to a recent study looking at hydraulic fracturing’s potential effect on drinking water.

Fracking is a controversial drilling method where fluid is pumped underground to release trapped natural gas or oil.

Recently the EPA announced the results of a 5 year study on the drilling technique.

It finds that fracking has “no widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water” according to an EPA spokesman.

Officials who represent Oil Industry in North Dakota praised the study.

They said it proves there is sufficient regulation that protects the environment from anything that goes on in the fracking process.

“We’re hoping that citizens will be more comfortable with it. There has been a lot of controversy about hydraulic fracturing across the country. People have asked a lot of questions. Is it safe? Do we need to be concerned about it? And this study and the science behind the study essentially says, nope. It’s safe.” says Kari Cutting, ND Petroleum Council

Some environmental groups are concerned with some parts of the report.

The EPA cited specific incidents where fracking had polluted groundwater.

The report says the number of cases was small relative to the number of wells operating in the country.

Other states have looked at banning hydraulic fracking.

Cutting says North Dakota’s geology is ideal for the practice because there are multiple layers of soil between fracking liquids and water sources.

More than a million wells have been fracked in the United States.

Source: http://www.kxnet.com/ (Ben Smith, Reporter)