A federal study of risks posed by natural-gas drilling may examine whether residents near well sites are exposed to toxic contaminants through the air.
The study was originally prompted by concerns that a process used to extract gas could contaminate drinking water sources. That process, hydraulic fracturing, is widely used in North Texas' Barnett Shale.
The scope of the EPA study is scheduled to be discussed Wednesday and Thursday at public meetings in Washington. The EPA will lay out its approach to a panel of scientific advisers, including Robin Autenrieth of Texas A&M University and Danny Reible of the University of Texas.
