To: Felicia Marcus, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
California: Stop toxic wastewater dumping by oil companies
Clean Water Action
Please stop oil companies from dumping their wastewater into open, unlined pits. The State Water Board must stand up to the oil industry and prohibit this inappropriate disposal method. In California, there are hundreds of pits operating without adequate oversight or permits, and are threatening water quality. The Board should do its job and protect groundwater from oil industry wastes.
In this extreme drought, California MUST protect depleted aquifers and all sources of drinking and irrigation water. It's time for a permanent ban on disposing oil and gas wastewater into open pits.
In this extreme drought, California MUST protect depleted aquifers and all sources of drinking and irrigation water. It's time for a permanent ban on disposing oil and gas wastewater into open pits.
Why is this important?
The oil and gas industry in California produces 130 billion gallons of wastewater every year from fracking and other forms of oil extraction. This massive waste stream is highly toxic, laced with chemicals, salts and often radioactive materials. Unlined pits allow toxic chemicals to percolate into the ground and evaporate into the air. It's time for Big Oil to stop poisoning potential sources of drinking and irrigation water, and polluting our air.
There are over 400 active pits in the Central Valley, where pollution and the drought have already severely reduced ground and surface water resources. Most of these pits are operating without adequate monitoring or oversight. The Central Valley Water Board has detected toxic plumes of wastewater that have migrated from some of the largest waste pits, yet has continued to allow dumping! Air samples near some pits detected 24 different volatile organic compounds (VOC's), yet air regulators have done nothing to limit the pollution.
For more information visit: www.cleanwater.org/ca
There are over 400 active pits in the Central Valley, where pollution and the drought have already severely reduced ground and surface water resources. Most of these pits are operating without adequate monitoring or oversight. The Central Valley Water Board has detected toxic plumes of wastewater that have migrated from some of the largest waste pits, yet has continued to allow dumping! Air samples near some pits detected 24 different volatile organic compounds (VOC's), yet air regulators have done nothing to limit the pollution.
For more information visit: www.cleanwater.org/ca