Americans Gather for First-Ever National Rally against Fracking

Americans from across the country – tired of waiting for state or federal protections – have been arriving in the nation’s capital this week to participate in the first-ever national anti-fracking rally on July 28. More than 3,000 people are expected to attend.

The rally – called Stop the Frack Attack – aims to repeal a loophole in federal law that exempts the natural gas industry from public health protections, such as disclosing the chemicals used to extract natural gas and monitoring drinking water. A clause slipped into the 2005 Energy Policy Act prevents the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from monitoring or regulating fracking under the Safe Drinking Water Act, making oil and gas drilling the only industry exempted from the law.

The rally begins tomorrow (Saturday, July 28) at 2 p.m. on the West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington, DC, with speakers and music. At 3:30 p.m., a march will begin to deliver toxic fracking water to the headquarters of the American Petroleum Institute and the American Natural Gas Alliance. Saturday's rally and march cap four days of events that included lobbying, community networking, and workshops.

Fracking poses a great risk to public health and property, as evidenced by the multiple documented cases and studies of severe water contamination near fracking sites, including water that can be set on fire as it comes out of the faucet. Many of these risks, including what chemicals are used in the fracking process, are not adequately disclosed, as shown in our recent report on state chemical disclosure policies. Just as troubling, corporations and some states are moving to block the authority of local governments to protect their constituents from fracking hazards.

For more information and to attend tomorrow's rally, visit www.stopthefrackattack.org.

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