For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Lieberson (Hinchey) 202-225-6335
June 9, 2009
Kristofer Eisenla (DeGette) 202-225-4431
Larry Smar (Casey) 202-228-6367
Lara Cottingham (Polis) 202-225-5693
Hinchey, Colleagues
Introduce Legislation to
Protect Drinking Water from Natural Gas Fracking
American Public Deserves to Know Chemicals Used Near Their Water Sources
Washington, DC -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Congresswoman Diana
DeGette (D-C), Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), and U.S. Senator Bob Casey
(D-PA) today introduced legislation in the House and Senate to protect drinking
water supplies from harmful chemicals often used in natural gas drilling. The
FRAC ACT -- Fracking Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, would close
a loophole created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which Hinchey voted
against, that exempted hydraulic fracturing from the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The FRAC Act would also require the oil and gas industry to disclose the
chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Currently, the oil
and gas industry is the only industry granted an exemption from complying with
the Safe Drinking Water Act.
"It's time to fix an unfortunate chapter in the Bush administration's energy
policy and close the 'Halliburton loophole' that has enabled energy companies
to pump enormous amounts of toxins, such as benzene and toluene, into the
ground that then jeopardize the quality of our drinking water," U.S. Rep.
Hinchey, Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the
Environment and Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, said. "Our
legislation says everyone deserves to have safe drinking water by ensuring that
hydraulic fracturing is subject to the protections afforded by the Safe
Drinking Water Act. The bill also lifts the veil of secrecy currently
shrouding this industry practice."
"Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale across much of Pennsylvania is
part of our future," said Senator Casey. "I believe that we have an obligation
to develop that natural gas responsibly to safeguard the drinking water wells
used by 3 million Pennsylvanians. We already have private wells contaminated
by gas and fluids used in hydraulic fracturing. We need to make sure that this
doesn't become a state-wide problem over the next few decades as we extract
natural gas."
"When it comes to protecting the publicâs health, it's not unreasonable to
require these companies to disclose the chemicals they are using in our
communities especially near our water sources," said U.S. Rep. DeGette, Vice
Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. "Our bill simply closes an
unconscionable Bush-Cheney loophole by requiring the oil and gas industry to
follow the same rules as everyone else."
"Families, communities, and local governments are upset that the safety of
their water has been compromised by a special interest exemption, and we join
them in that frustration," said U.S. Rep. Polis. "It is irresponsible to stand
by while innocent people are getting sick because of an industry exemption that
Dick Cheney snuck in to our nation's energy policy. Many new sources of
energy, including natural gas, will play an important role in our nation's
transition to cleaner fuels, but we must make sure this isn't at the expense of
public health. The problem is not natural gas or even hydraulic fracturing
itself. The problem is that dangerous chemicals are being injected into the
earth, polluting our water sources, without any oversight whatsoever."
Hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking," is used in almost all natural
gas wells. It is a process whereby fluids are injected at high pressure into
underground rock formations to blast them open and increase the flow of fossil
fuels. This injection of unknown and potentially toxic chemicals often occurs
near drinking water wells. Troubling incidents have occurred around the
country where people became ill after fracking operations began in their
communities. Some chemicals that are known to have been used in fracking
include diesel fuel, benzene, industrial solvents, and other carcinogens and
endocrine disrupters.
During the 110th Congress, U.S. Reps. DeGette and Hinchey introduced similar
legislation in the House. _______________________________________________
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