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Fracking Industry Needs to Follow Laws, Too

If mining is as safe as the industry claims, then gas companies have nothing to fear from federal oversight

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Fracking has been exempted from the Clean Water Act at the behest of the wealthy would-be frackers.

We need the meaningful if minimal protections of that Act, long the law until fracking money lobbied.

I’d rather drink clean water and rather live on a health earth that frack, fracture, it.

Charles R Brainard of NY 5:29PM December 01, 2011

It's interesting that this poll is sponsored by SHELL OIL. The company probably has all its emplyees voting for more oil.

Kate Ryan of NY 10:37AM December 01, 2011

We are talking about risking what is vital to all life, water and air. I've been told that the fracking fluid contains all the toxic waste from all the other companies regulated by clean air & safe drinking water act. Has anybody ever asked why all those toxic chemicals are needed to Frack and where they come from? We need to investigate this...

Victoria Lesser of NY 9:20AM December 01, 2011

Fossil fuels pollute both air and water and are a risk to our health. The need to switch over to sustainable energy sources is urgent. Thank you Maurice Hinchey for all of your important work.

Peggy Rafferty of NY 8:47AM December 01, 2011

I support Maurice 100%. He's not nuts. He's not a radical environmentalist. He's not a spendthrift liberal. He's reading the science, thinking and asking the questions that need to be asked. Go, Mo!

Liz Bucar of NY 4:45PM November 30, 2011

There is no way to "do it right." In 35 states, there are accidents, health issues, destruction of towns and farms, and the fostering of community disruption as some become rich while others face economic disaster. The SGEIS has many flaws and omissions. We should rebuild our economy on small farms and businesses, local cooperation, and the newest of green energy technology for solar, tidal, and wind.

Rema Loeb of NY 3:49PM November 30, 2011

There is no way to "do it right." In 35 states, there are accidents, health issues, destruction of towns and farms, and the fostering of community disruption as some become rich while others face economic disaster. The SGEIS has many flaws and omissions. We should rebuild our economy on small farms and businesses, local cooperation, and the newest of green energy technology for solar, tidal, and wind.

Rema Loeb of NY 3:46PM November 30, 2011

I completely agree with Congressman Hinchey's assessment. I would add that the resistance to appropriate safeguards is due to additional costs which the gas companies are unwilling to pay because their entire business plan for shale gas extraction is flawed. The New York Times, in their "Drilling Down" series on natural gas, has revealed documents that suggest that reserves of gas have been highly inflated. Bottom line, I suspect that they can't afford to "do it right" unless, by enforcing the same rules that apply to every other industry, we force them back to R&D, until they come up with a safe process.

Susan Sullivan of NY 1:52PM November 30, 2011

What about the idea that we should only produce the gas if it is going to be used locally? If we just look nationally, many states have no coal, oil or natural gas resources. What if the rest of the states said no interstate transport of fuels? Most of the oil and gas supply in the US comes from Texas (excluding federal offshore). What if we just said we are going to store all of our excess production for future use? Then look internationally. What if Canada, our biggest source of imported oil, decided that they would be better served by saving their energy resources all for themselves? And then the Middle East did the same, and Nigeria, and Mexico? The USA would be in a world of hurt economically without access to reasonably priced energy. Is it morally defensible to say we'll burn your natural resources but we won't share any of ours?

Jon Olson of TX 11:30AM November 30, 2011

Energy independence is never going to happen, but oil imports are down compared to 5 years ago largely because of the development of oil from shale. That has great economic bebefit to the USA. The shale gas boom promises a more abundant supply of fuel for electricity generation, which also benefits our country and the local communities where it is produced. Unless the "not in my backyard" syndrome prevails. Environmental irresponsibility by industry is inexcusable, but it is not pervasive, and the response should be better regulation, not a moratorium. A moratorium means "go pollute someone else's water", unless you vow to stop using electricity as well in your neighborhood when you ban drilling, because your energy has to come from somewhere, and it is going to be fueled by coal, natural gas or nuclear. It seems to me that we have the best chance of effective regulation here in the US - even if our government seems dysfunctional - that is what we need to pursue. Not a ban.

Jon Olson of TX 11:18AM November 30, 2011

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