We have been saying it for years, but the biggest peddlers of misinformation and most egregious science deniers are those on the left – fractivists. One pro-oil and gas organization out of Texas, Texans for Natural Gas and FrackFeed, is calling out fractivists in an incredible letter to Google, which has recently announced its intention to limit “fake news”. Here is what FrackFeed requested of Google:
“We believe many of the most prominent anti-fracking websites have content that is misleading, false, or offensive – if not all three. As a result, we urge you to consider purging or demoting these websites from your algorithm, which in turn will encourage a more honest public discussion about hydraulic fracturing, and oil and natural gas development in general.”
The letter goes on to cite examples of fractivists’ inaccurate reporting of the news. Here are a few examples from the letter that completely ignore an EPA study showing that fracking has never contaminated groundwater:
“Earthworks, which has compared fracking to sexual assault and declared a “war” on the process, says of hydraulic fracturing: ‘Not only does the injection of these chemicals pose a short-term threat to drinking water quality, it is quite possible that there could be long-term negative consequences for USDWs [Underground Sources of Drinking Water] from these fracturing fluids.’
“Food & Water Watch claims widespread water contamination is one of many reasons why fracking is ‘simply too unsafe to pursue’ and that ‘a ban is the only solution.’
“Environment America claims there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of fracking contaminating groundwater. Importantly, Environment America arrives at this by literally redefining what fracking is, e.g. ‘In this report, when we refer to the impacts of ‘fracking,’ we include impacts resulting from all of the activities needed to bring a shale gas or oil wells into production using high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracturing operations that use at least 100,000 gallons of water), to operate that well, and to deliver the gas or oil produced from that well to market.’ In other words, Environment America admits that it has redefined the word in order to ascribe more negative impacts to it – which is a deliberate attempt to misinform the public, aka ‘fake news.'”
Despite offering clear cut examples, we believe that FrackFeed has yet to hear from Google. We will keep you posted, PeakNation™, but you shouldn’t hold your breath.