To: Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator
EPA: Stand with the Science, not Big Oil & Gas!
I'm glad to hear that the Science Advisory Board is calling for changes to the EPA’s top-line finding from its deeply flawed study of fracking’s impacts on drinking water.
The claim that impacts to drinking water were "not widespread, systemic" did a huge disservice to people around the country who have been harmed by fracking – and it’s a claim that isn’t supported by even the limited data examined in the study.
EPA needs to make it clear that it stands with the people – and the science – not the oil and gas industry by:
1 - Re-doing the drinking water study with before and after studies
2 - Re-opening investigations into drinking water contamination in Dimock, PA; Pavillion, WY; and Parker County, TX
3 - Breaking its bad habit of allowing industry influence to distort and limit investigations
Why is this important?
The Environmental Protection Agency spent six years and millions of taxpayer dollars on a study of fracking's impacts on drinking water -- one that relied on voluntary information from the oil and gas industry. Unsurprisingly, the study was biased.
When the study’s findings were released, their pro-industry spin implied that fracking was safe — which it isn’t. Even the EPA's own limited data showed evidence of drinking water contaminated by drilling and fracking.
Now the EPA's review panel has reviewed the study and called for changes to the report and its misleading top-line finding.
Tell EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy that it's time the EPA stood with the American people and the science, not polluting corporations.