Go Frack Free, Colorado!

Fracking wells dot a Western landscape.

Hydraulic fracturing is a heavy industrial process whereby 5 million+ barrels of water are mixed with hundreds of undisclosed and often toxic chemicals and then injected into the earth under extremely high pressure to force “natural gas” (methane) to the surface so it can be sold. Fracking has been exposed as a dirty and dangerous “extreme energy” that poses grave risks to public health, clean air and water, and a stable climate.

Coloradans demand that a moratorium on fracking be put in place immediately, until such time as it is shown to be safe. Current regulations have proven insufficient to stop contamination of groundwater from inevitable spills or prevent human exposure to toxic emissions that are known to cause cancer and other illness. Furthermore, a huge amount of methane leaks from fracking well-heads, leading some researchers to surmise that fracking may be as dangerous to our climate as burning coal—if not more so. With climate change placing even more stress on scarce water resources, it is unconscionable to use and permanently remove from the water cycle the vast quantities of fresh water consumed by the process. For more fracking facts and research, visit protectourcolorado.org.

The federal government is not protecting us, so we must call on our state and local leaders to protect our health and welfare. Lacking conclusive evidence that fracking is safe and with mounting evidence to the contrary, Coloradans demand an immediate statewide moratorium on fracking.

Tell your state legislators to sponsor a fracking moratorium for Colorado:

I am deeply concerned about the numerous risks of hydraulic fracturing (i.e. fracking) to our community and ask you to sponsor, co-sponsor, or at least support legislation this spring legislative session calling for a moratorium on this dirty and dangerous industrial practice until it can be proven safe.

I have grave concerns about the negative impacts of fracking on public health, safety, property, water, air and our climate. The proven risks of hydrolic fracturing – through research, reports, documentaries and the experiences of those living near fracking wells – bring me to the conclusion that a moratorium should be put into place immediately until such time as the process is shown to be safe. Current regulations have proven insufficient to prevent contamination of groundwater from spills that inevitably occur and human exposure to toxic emissions that are known to cause cancer and other illness.

I am also disturbed about the huge volumes of methane that have been documented leaking at fracking well-heads. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in our atmosphere. These leaks are contributing to climate destabilization, which has already loaded the dice for record-breaking storms, floods, heat, and the wildfires and drought that have begun to plague our state and others in recent years. This has led some researchers to surmise that fracked natural gas may be as dangerous to our climate, or perhaps even more so, than burning coal.

Furthermore, with climate change placing even more stress on water resources, it is unconscionable to use and permanently remove from the water cycle the vast quantities of irreplaceable water currently consumed by the process of fracking – approximately 5 million gallons per well. This waste water is made so toxic with fracking chemicals it is often injected deep below the Earth’s surface, where it is unusable and threatens groundwater. The injection process has even been shown to trigger earthquakes.

Unfortunately, the federal government is not protecting the people of Colorado – the 2005 federal Energy Policy Act exempted hydraulic fracturing from complying with the Clean Water, Safe Drinking Water and Clean Air Acts.  Nor is our state government protecting us - the COGCC has only 17 inspectors for 48,000 active wells. There have been more than 1,000 fracking-related spills of diesel fuel, oil, toxic chemicals, and other contaminants in Colorado over the last three years, dozens of which have polluted groundwater. And there are still currently no state or federal rules to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. So we must call on our state and local leaders to protect our health and welfare.

Longmont’s Ballot Measure 300, which passed with over 60% of public support, stands for a community’s right to safeguard health and safety from fracking.   And yet this community is being threatened with a lawsuit as fossil fuel companies assert that Longmont citizens don’t have the right to say no to fracking near their homes and schools. In a time when all the science indicates that a sane society should be transitioning rapidly away from fossil fuels, it is a disturbing testament to the stranglehold of the fossil fuel industry on our democracy when communities are denied the fundamental right to safeguard air, water and public health and safety from dangerous practices of the fossil fuel industry and are sued if they dare to try. And not all communities have the leadership or resources to fight for a local ban. This is ever more reason why a statewide moratorium is needed.

Lacking conclusive evidence that fracking is safe and with mounting evidence to the contrary, the prudent action is to follow the precautionary principle and pass a moratorium on fracking until such time as it can be proven safe. Please respond to me as soon as possible to let me know if you will sponsor or co-sponsor legislation this spring calling for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until it is proven safe. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.

Hi !

We already have your contact info, so just click the button below to sign up.

Not ?
Click here to log out.

Name

Email Address*

Country

Street address*

City*

State*

Region / State / Province

ZIP Code*

Postal Code

Recently signed up:

Wendy McKendrickUnited States

Mrs DJ ShoafUnited States

Ms. Gina B. HardinUnited States

Ms Sharyn DreyerUnited States

Gerry CoffeyUnited States

Link: