The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold two public listening session on potential changes to the water quality standards regulation before proposing a national rule.

Would establish a permanent framework around which to build Great Lakes restoration funding, programs, and governance. The bill contains long-term statutory authorization for substantial levels of Great Lakes restoration funding and establishes a 5-year authorization of $650 million annually.  Will set up the oversight needed to coordinate the restoration efforts and will provide significant funding to implement projects to restore the fragile ecosystem and protect against new threats like the Asian Carp.

11/3/2009--Introduced.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting four public information meetings on the proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and its potential impacts on drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing is a process that helps production of natural gas or oil from shale and other geological formations. By pumping fracturing fluids (water and chemical additives) and sand or other similar materials into rock formations, fractures are created that allow natural gas or oil to flow from the rock through the fractures to a production well for extraction.