"Fracking" for natural gas poisoning U.S. water

Natural gas drilling/exploration firms in the U.S. and worldwide are now using a method of natural gas drilling called "fracking"...which means fracturing subsurface rock formations to release natural gas by injecting millions of gallons of water and poisonous chemicals into the earth to fracture the rock formation and release the natural gas.

After fracturing the rock and releasing the gas, the water is brought back up to the surface and must be disposed of....disposing of this water is expensive and not easy to do without poisoning nearby streams and waterways as well as the additional threat to subsurface water supplies when the water and chemicals being used to "frack" are still underground.

This potentially poisonous method of natural gas drilling is now being used nationwide to release rock bound natural gas formations and has been exempt from U.S. federal oversight by the E.P.A........

Who lobbied for, and helped get this exemption from federal regulation passed?.....you guessed it, the natural gas drilling industry with reported help from their friend in high places Dick Cheney, former CEO of Halliburton.....this regulatory loophole is now called the "Halliburton Loophole".

These natural gas drilling and exploration firms were also allowed to keep secret the list of toxic chemicals they are using to inject into the ground....many of these chemicals have seeped into wells and ground water formations near fracking operations and poisoned people, caused gas explosions and poisoned/killed livestock.

Although state governmental agencies are required to regulate "fracking" for natural gas being done by various firms.....the drilling method seems to be going largely unregulated with a wink and a nod by regulators.....perhaps because of the enormous profits/income to be reaped by various individuals in the private and public sector.

Up until recently these fracking operations were done, largely, in remote, sparsely populated rural areas out west, but now, in the eastern U.S., fracking is being done in close proximity to urban drinking water supplies.

Now a huge natural gas reserve has been found in the eastern U.S. called "the Marcellus Shale" near the city of New York which also runs through Ohio and Pennsylvania......this is the largest natural gas deposit ever found in the U.S.....the problem is that this enormous deposit is locked in shale rock and the only way to release it is by.......you guessed it!!!.....the  controversial and apparently poorly regulated method of gas drilling called "fracking" which has already reportedly poisoned hundreds of water wells in the western U.S. and nationwide and could now possibly poison the drinking water supply of millions of people in New York City and the surrounding areas if stronger regulation and oversight is not enacted and enforced......you tell me....should this drilling method be better regulated or is the potential poisoning of the drinking water for tens of millions of people in New York a risk we are willing to take to achieve a short term gain.

Energy giant Exxon recently merged with XTO Energy, a major player in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation, but now Exxon  states that they will cancel the deal if "fracking" is regulated or banned by the federal government.....thanks for gambling with our water supply Exxon!!!......maybe your CEO and board members can drink natural gas but most of us need water.

How will we clean the water after it's poisoned?.....it may well be impossible.....let's be proactive on this one....there is a better way to do this.....if not....the drinking water of Americans is far more important than cheap natural gas....we can do this right!

We the undersigned agree with the author of this petition and wish for the U.S. Federal E.P.A. and state regulatory agencies in the U.S. to put natural gas "fracking" operations under strict controls and regulation in order to protect the U.S. water supply from further potential contamination by fracking chemicals etc., establishing heavy penalties, fines and criminal prosecution for firms who violate these laws and regulations once they are established through upcoming congressional debate and legislation. 

Please protect our water........we cannot drink natural gas.

http://www.governing.com/article/hydrofracking-natural-gas-worth-risk

http://txsharon.blogspot.com/2008/11/dick-cheney-and-halliburton-fing-in.html

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/05/05/fracking/

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fracking

http://www.newsweek.com/id/154394

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104565793

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/fracking-natural-gas-ny-47102601

http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/22/news/economy/new_york_natural_gas.fortune/