Panel Appointed to Review Controversial Fracking Study

The University of Texas at Austin has put together a panel of three experts to review a professor’s disputed study on hydraulic fracking.

UT professor Charles Groat’s study stated there’s little or no evidence that fracking’s connected with groundwater contamination. But the results of the study came into question after a watchdog group noted Groat has received money from a company that does fracking.

StateImpact Texas shares the make up of the panel:

The three members of the panel are chair Norman Augustine, former CEO of Lockheed Martin; James Duderstadt, President Emeritus of the University of Michigan; and Rita Colwell, a former director of the National Science Foundation.

UT says it will follow any recommendations the panel makes.