U.S. House Approves Reckless Fracking Bill

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Environment California

Sacramento, CA.  By a vote of 235-187, the U.S. House of Representatives today approved its latest giveaway to the oil and gas industry: a bill to boost ‘fracking,’ the dirty process of drilling that has contaminated water supplies from Pennsylvania to New Mexico and is making families near drilling sites sick from air pollution. At the same time, members of the Arts and Entertainment community banded together calling on Governor Brown and President Obama to ban fracking.

The bill, H.R. 2728, sponsored by Rep. Flores (R-TX), would roll back the federal government’s ability to protect federal lands and the communities that rely on them from fracking, deferring to a patchwork of state rules and guidelines no matter how weak or inadequate they may be.

This comes on the heels of California’s open comment period for regulations on fracking.

The bill would also delay EPA’s congressionally mandated study of fracking’s impacts on groundwater, keeping important data about water contamination from families living near fracking sites.

Legislative Director, Dan Jacobson issued the following statement in response:

“Fracking is already wreaking havoc on our environment and health across the country. America’s public lands—like the Los Padres National Forest in California, the White River National Forest in Colorado and the Chaco Canyon in New Mexico—should be protected for all Americans to enjoy. However, this reckless bill puts our special places and the communities that rely on them for drinking water and recreation at risk from fracking.

“Now, more than ever we need Governor Brown to step in and protect California from fracking.

“We are dismayed that California’s U.S. Representatives voted in favor of this reckless bill (for the complete list of “yea” votes see below). The Obama administration has thankfully indicated opposition to the bill, and we urge our U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein to reject this and any other giveaways to the oil and gas industry. Congress should instead act to stop fracking and protect our public lands, water, and health.”

Here is the list of California Congressmen who voted in favor of the bill.

Doug LaMalfa (R), Tom McClintock(R), Paul Cook(R), Jeff Denham(R), David Valadao(R), Devin Nunes(R), Kevin McCarthy(R), Buck McKeon(R), Gary Miller(R), Ed Royce(R), Ken Calvert(R),  John Campbell(R), Dana Rohrabacher(R), Darrell Issa(R), Duncan Hunter(R)and one Democrat- Jim Costa

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Environment California is a statewide, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organization working toward a cleaner, greener, and healthier future.

www.EnvironmentCalifornia.org