EPA changed course after oil company protested

$This Dec. 6, 2012 aerial photo shows a natural gas well, top, in rural Parker County near Granbury, Texas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had evidence the gas company´s drilling operation contaminated nearby drinking water with explosive methane, and possibly cancer-causing chemicals, but withdrew its enforcement action, leaving households with no useable water supply, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press. The EPA´s decision to roll back its initial claim that hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” operations had contaminated the water is the latest case in which the federal agency initially linked drilling to water contamination and then softened its position, drawing criticism from Republicans and industry officials who insisted they proved the agency was inefficient and too quick to draw conclusions. (AP Photo/LM Otero)<br />$