A new investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee shows that Halliburton and other smaller companies have been using diesel-based chemicals in a process called “fracking” to blast apart underground rock formations and release natural gas deposits all across the United States.

After being mixed with water and shot underground at high pressure, these highly toxic chemicals leak into drinking water supplies.

But thanks to a major industry lobbying effort during the Bush administration, pollution from the gas industry is exempt from Safe Drinking Water Act controls.

That means companies including Halliburton, which blasted more than 800,000 gallons of diesel chemicals into the ground in 2008, aren’t subject to rules that other industries have to follow to keep our drinking water clean.

Sign this petition and tell your congressional representatives to repeal Bush-era water pollution exemptions for Halliburton and the rest of the natural gas industry. 

photo via flickr: joshme17