Houston (Platts)--27Apr2010/539 am EDT/939 GMT

US Senator Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, on Monday called on the US Environmental Protection Agency to step up efforts to investigate and respond to groundwater contamination and other potentially harmful consequences of natural gas drilling in his state.

In a letter to EPA head Lisa Jackson, Casey urged the agency "to examine its authority to determine whether it can take additional steps in Pennsylvania," in regard to drilling-related pollution incidents.

Casey also requested a meeting with Jackson and other EPA officials "to discuss natural gas drilling, and whether EPA could launch an investigation into water and environmental contamination."

He commended the agency on its plan to allocate $1.9 million from this year's budget to study the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater. The EPA said last month it would undertake the congressionally mandated study on the often used well-completion technique commonly known as "fracking."

"The initial information I have seen on the scope of the study is encouraging," Casey said, but added that he also would like to speak with Science Advisory Board officials "... to have the opportunity to discuss the scope, timing and methodology for the study and to ensure that EPA addresses all issues critical to Pennsylvania."

Casey is the Senate sponsor of the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, a bill that would require the oil and gas industry to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes.

In his letter to the EPA, Casey cited several instances in which gas operations in the state resulted in environmental problems, such as that which occurred in the Dimock area, where water wells were contaminated by gas seepages originating from wells that Houston-based Cabot Oil and Gas drilled.

Earlier this month the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection fined Cabot $240,000 and announced that it was "immediately suspending" its review of the company's permit applications for new wells.

--Jim Magill, jim_magill@platts.com