Halliburton Loophole (2005) = Fracking

We can’t play a game of chance with California’s groundwater supply and our coast.    It’s time to demand that oil and gas companies using drilling technologies known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” be held accountable for their practices.  “Fracking” is a process that blasts a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and unknown chemicals into rock underground to extract oil and natural gas.      Back in 2005, President George W. Bush signed a law – known as the “Halliburton loophole” – that exempted fracking from regulation by the EPA, meaning important environmental laws like the Safe Drinking Water Act don’t apply to fracking!      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton_loophole    Because of this, states have had to pick up the slack.  California’s fracking bill last year was a start.  I support a moratorium on fracking in our state until a comprehensive review of its impact is complete.   But there is more we need to do nationally to protect our groundwater, our coast, and our communities – oil and gas companies shouldn’t be exempt from our critically important environmental laws!    The truth is that fracking poses potentially significant health and environmental risks – especially when it comes to groundwater.     As California faces the worst drought in decades, we shouldn’t put any more of our precious water supply at risk!     Tell our U.S. Senators to close the “Halliburton loophole.” Congress must not permit the oil and gas industry to operate outside the reach of federal regulations endangering our communities – our environmental laws must apply to oil and gas companies engaged in fracking. Join me and sign our petition to protect our groundwater and coast from fracking.    Wendy