Denver EPA
One of the favorite lies that fractivists love to spread is that fracking pollutes drinking water. It’s been shown to not be accurate time and time again, but it’s an effective talking point lie because who isn’t freaked out by contaminated drinking water? The Environmental Protection Agency put that notion to bed again today with a preliminary report that showed there was no correlation between fracking and drinking water contamination. From the EPA press release:
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a draft assessment today on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing activities on drinking water resources in the United States. The assessment, done at the request of Congress, shows that while hydraulic fracturing activities in the U.S. are carried out in a way that have not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources….”
The report goes on to point out that there are ways to shore up drinking water infrastructure, but the report clearly indicates that this talking point is a non-issue. Congress requested the report five years ago and the EPA is finally getting around to submitting it. Perhaps it’s because they have been on poop patrol and did not have time to get to it.
Nonetheless, it’s going to be an uphill battle for fractivists to justify their existence if the dangers of fracking are cast aside one-by-one. These groups might actually have to be honest about why they protest oil and natural gas. It’s not because fracking isn’t safe – it is. It’s because they are protecting their donors’ terrible investments in green energy.