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By Miriam Raftery
(September 14, 2013) – The Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action and California League of Conservation Voters are calling on the California leaders to fix newly passed California fracking legislation (SB 4) because the bill contains “dangerous amendments that undermine both critical safeguards to protect Californians from the dangers of fracking as well as foundational state environmental review processes,” a press release issued by the groups on September 12 states.
A moratorium on fracking was removed and the revised version merely requires reporting of chemicals in fracking fluids, but would allow fracking to continue. Fracking requires injecting water, sand and chemicals into deep rock formations to release oil or natural gas. Serious questions have also been raised about contamination of millions of gallons of water, a commodity in scarce supply already in California.
In some communities, fracking has also led to problems such as tap water so laden with chemicals that the water has burst into flames. Fracking has also been linked to earthquakes in areas that never had seismic activity in the past.
The industry contends the practice is safe and has balked at regulation.
The environmental organizations are urging Governor Brown to use his authority to immediately impose a moratorium on fracking in the state in order to fully assess the health and environmental threats posed by the practice. Fracking oppponents have previously staged protests at the state capitol.
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