http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/hydrofracturing_0609?rk=NdMAwKsqmuawE

Protect Your Drinking Water From Toxic Chemicals

Did you know that the oil and gas industry, thanks to Dick Cheney and his old friends at Halliburton, are exempted from the Safe Drinking Water Act?

That's right: thanks to a provision slipped into the highly-controversial Energy Policy Act of 2005 at the request of Halliburton, Exxon and a handful of other corporations, the oil and gas industry was exempted from having to comply with critical provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act—a law that protects underground sources of drinking water for millions of Americans.

This exemption has allowed hydraulic fracturing—a process that increases oil and gas yields by shooting an oftentimes toxic brew of chemicals underground at high pressures—to go completely unregulated by federal law.

Hydraulic fracturing is already suspected of endangering drinking water in six states. However, due to the "Halliburton Loophole" exemption, EPA lacks the authority to investigate instances of contamination and cannot regulate this controversial practice.

Thankfully, concerned members of Congress in both the House and Senate have recently introduced legislation to close the "Halliburton Loophole" and ensure that Big Oil has to follow the same laws that every other industry does.

H.R. 2766, introduced by Diana DeGette (D-CO), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Jared Polis (D-CO); and S. 1215 introduced by Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would regulate hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Please contact your congressperson and senators and ask them to cosponsor these important pieces of legislation.

Talking Points

Please take a moment to personalize your letter: Why is protecting our drinking water important to you?

Additional information on this issue:

The hydraulic fracturing loophole created in 2005 is a special favor to Halliburton and Big Oil that needs to end. This industry should follow the same laws as other industries.

Hydraulic fracturing involves the use of toxic chemicals that are injected underground, sometimes directly adjacent to underground sources of drinking water.

 It is a highly variable and unpredictable process that can lead to unintended consequences and is linked to contamination of drinking water.
Nothing is more important to a family than being able to trust that clean drinking water is coming out of their faucet.

 Poisoning drinking water by hydraulic fracturing should be a violation of federal law.

 http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/hydrofracturing_0609?rk=NdMAwKsqmuawE