Another example of industry influence.
AP Exclusive: Wyo. state officials pushed EPA to delay reporting fracking contamination study
MEAD GRUVER Associated Press
EPA briefed state regulators giving them more than a month to spin the results before they released the information to the public.
Gov. Matt Mead contacted EPA Director Lisa Jackson and persuaded her to hold off any announcement, according to state emails and an interview with the governor. The more than 11,000 emails made available to AP in response to a state records request show that Wyoming officials took advantage of the postponement to “take a hard line” and coordinate an “all-out press” against the EPA in the weeks leading up to the announcement Dec. 8.
AP got over 11,000 email so you need to read the entire article but here is one additional tidbit:
“Contaminants present at high concentrations in the deep monitoring wells are likely a result of hydraulic fracturing,” read a “Key Findings” slide in an EPA PowerPoint shown at the meeting. Each slide was marked “Confidential–Do Not Disclose.”
The public announcement more than a month later stated that the groundwater “contains compounds likely associated with gas production practices, including hydraulic fracturing.”
We will make no meaningful progress until industry influence is eliminated from our government and from corrupting science.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
- Web |
- More Posts(5121)
Let me get this straight: Push back against the EPA gets Dr. Al ousted, then the EPA holds up a report on Wyoming water contamination, just because a Governor asks them too?
The EPA sounds too weak, not too strong!
Clearly disappointing, but does this really surprise anyone? I’ve been supporting the efforts of the EPA for several years, now, but I’m starting to realize I was really supporting the efforts of Dr. Armendariz-because in the first few minutes of meeting him, you can tell he ‘gets it’ and he really does give a damn. Unfortunately, the EPA at the highest levels are not fighting back, but rather allowing themselves to be handcuffed by the likes of Inhofe and many others, and I’m sorry to say, the current administration. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Obama fan to begin with, but I’m starting to have a hard time differentiating between the Republicans/Republican Candidates and Obama (when it comes to strictly looking at the environmental perspective) The only thing that comes to mind is that it’s no secret politicians make backroom deals they’d rather not, sign off on bills they aren’t keen on, and will sell out their own mother if means holding on to power or getting re-elected.
Like most elections, at least the ones that matter, the candidates start out on the far left or right, and gradually make their way toward the middle the closer the election comes around. Once in office, predictably, they fly back to their far side, and the process starts over again.
Well I always had my doubts about the EPA doing any good—but, when Dr. Al came onboard I was very enthusiastic and had HIGH HOPES for the EPA–and then recently, kaboom–out went Dr. Al and my confidence went down the toilet. Our gubment in action, doing NO GOOD for the peasants–they are all just bought off by O&G and other corporations. The only thing we can do is just sit back and watch the parade go by–absolutely nothing will change. We the peasants, are screwed, blued and tattooed at the OK Corral! ha.