The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected a new venue and dates for the public meeting on EPA's upcoming hydraulic fracturing study originally scheduled for August 12, 2010.

EPA is expecting room-capacity crowds for all four sessions.The meeting will now be held at the Broome County Forum Theater in Binghamton, on Sept. 13th and 15th, 2010. There will actually be four sessions -- two day and two evening sessions -- on those two dates. 

EPA is expecting room-capacity crowds, so individuals interested in attending are being asked to pre-register by clicking here or by calling 1-866-477-3635 (toll free). 

While some feel that natural gas is a bridge fuel as the nation heads to a cleaner-energy future (natural gas burns cleaner), there are significant concerns about water contamination and use. For more on natural gas drilling and the controversial extraction technique nicknamed "fracking," click here.