EPA is supposed to protect the environment – but this does not seem to be the case. Many articles have been highlighting how the Obama Fracking rules are cause for concern. The Hulk actor, Mark Ruffalo, and many artists and activists are working to educate the public and asking the community to join the fight. We are supporting Ruffalo’s effort and encourage you to learn more. Read more on the article New York Times or Washington Post or on Associate press.
From Mark Ruffalo:
“When I’m not playing a superhero, I do my best to help out the real superheroes who are fighting to keep our water clean. These heroes are the everyday Americans who have stepped up to expose the oil and gas industry’s toxic drilling and fracking operations that are poisoning water supplies across our country. Today we need your help in urging new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and President Obama to reopen the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) critical fracking-related water contamination investigations in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and Texas, and to provide residents with safe drinking water.
I first got involved in the fracking fight years ago when I traveled to Dimock, Pennsylvania, to meet families who were suffering serious health impacts from using water contaminated from fracking operations. I met many people whose children and pets were suffering from skin lesions, hair loss, projectile vomiting, severe headaches, dizziness, and pain throughout their bodies — and they could light their tap water on fire! After having this first-hand experience, I joined the fight to get the truth out about this nightmare happening to my neighbors. When the going got rough, a group of concerned citizens and I stepped in to help these people get safe drinking water. Thankfully, the EPA came to the rescue and delivered families water while conducting an investigation. But when the EPA abruptly closed the case, stopped water deliveries to the residents and deemed the water safe to drink, we knew something was wrong.
Thanks to EPA whistleblowers, the Los Angeles Times recently reported that the fracking investigation in Dimock, PA, was shut down despite evidence from EPA’s water tests showing that Dimock’s drinking water was severely impacted by fracking. The LA Times reported that EPA staff warned senior EPA officials that water tests revealed the drinking water was contaminated in a number of homes in Dimock, PA. Instead of continuing the investigation, EPA closed the case. Since that time, many residents have not had access to safe drinking water.
The EPA has also shut down investigations in Wyoming and Texas. Early results of all three investigations showed that the EPA had evidence linking gas drilling and fracking operations to groundwater contamination, yet instead of protecting people in these areas, the EPA ignored its own scientific data and abandoned the investigations.
It’s time for the EPA to do its job and protect the drinking water of the American people from toxic fracking. Join me in calling on the new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and President Barack Obama to reopen the EPA investigations in Dimock, Pennsylvania, Pavillion, Wyoming and Weatherford, Texas and provide safe drinking water to the residents of those communities during these investigations.
We will deliver your petition to EPA Headquarters in Washington DC on Wednesday, September 25th.”