Bill > HR2850

This bill, titled the EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement Act, mandates specific procedures for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when conducting its study on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing, a process used to extract oil and gas, on drinking water resources. Key provisions require that any final or interim reports summarizing the EPA's research be considered "Highly Influential Scientific Assessments," meaning they must undergo rigorous peer review according to established EPA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines, ensuring the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information. Furthermore, the bill requires that any identified potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water be accompanied by objective estimates of their probability, uncertainty, and consequence, taking into account state and industry risk management practices, and these estimates should be as quantitative as the data allows. Finally, the bill sets a deadline of September 30, 2016, for the public release of the final report.