Federal environment officials investigating drinking water
contamination  near the ranching town of Pavillion, Wyo., have
found that at least three water wells contain a chemical used in
the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing.
Scientists also found traces of other contaminants, including
oil, gas or metals, in 11 of 39 wells tested there since March.
The study, which is being conducted under the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Superfund program, is the first time the EPA
has undertaken its own water analysis in response to complaints
of contamination in drilling areas, and it could be pivotal in
the national debate  over the role of natural gas in America’s
energy policy. Abundant gas reserves are being aggressively
developed in 31 states, including New York  and Pennsylvania .
Congress is mulling a bill  that aims to protect those water
resources from hydraulic fracturing, the process in which fluids
and sand are injected under high pressure to break up rock and
release gas. But the indus