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Statement on Department of Interior Fracking Rules for Public Lands

March 23, 2015

About 90 percent of the more than 100,000 oil and gas wells on our public lands use an extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” which involves the high pressure injection of water, sand, and chemicals deep underground. In recent years, fracking has contributed to the surge in U.S. fossil energy production, but the lack of strong, enforceable federal regulations have endangered our public lands, human health, and water resources. Today, the Department of the Interior has released final standards for fracking on public lands that address well integrity, wastewater disposal, and public disclosure of chemicals.

Members of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) released the following statement:

“We appreciate Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s efforts to improve the safety of fracking operations on public lands. SEEC Members have consistently pressed for the strongest possible fracking standards. While these rules are a much needed improvement over the status quo, there are still exceptions and loopholes for fracking that threaten clean air, clean water, human health, wildlife and the climate that Congress must address.

SEEC Members have sponsored a number of bills collectively referred to as the “Frack Pack.” The BREATHE Act, FRESHER Act, FRAC Act, CLEANER Act, and SHARED Act would close loopholes for fracking under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Until Congress corrects these special exemptions for fracking, the Department of Interior’s fracking standards will only offer a partial solution. We encourage our colleagues in Congress and those in the Administration to consider these rules as a first step–not a final declaration–in the on-going effort to protect our communities and our environment from the consequences of fracking.

These new standards are important, but do not replace the need to prioritize the deployment of safer, cleaner, and more sustainable sources of energy, which are ideally suited for our public lands, without the risks associated with fracking. We look forward to continuing to work with Secretary Jewell on our shared goals of developing more renewable energy on public lands and improving protections for our land, water and other natural resources.”