Protecting American Energy Production Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1121.

This extreme legislation would limit the President's ability to respond to public health, environmental, and climate risks. It is nothing more than a made-up solution in search of a problem.

To be clear, the President has made no indication that he will ban fracking, and yet H.R. 1121 would prohibit the President from ever banning fracking for any reason ever, despite the risks that it poses. Many of my colleagues aren't even in favor of sensible oversight or regulation of fracking.

It is my view that public lands managers ought to have access to a full range of tools to reduce harmful emissions, protect our environment, and safeguard public health. I am particularly concerned because we don't have adequate regulations and safeguards in place to ensure that if fracking is done, at the very least it is done in a way that reduces environmental and health risks.

There is a growing body of evidence that illustrates that fracking creates vast amounts of wastewater, emits greenhouse gases such as methane, and releases toxic pollutants such as potent carcinogens into the air.

Studies have also reported associations between residential proximity to fracking operations and increased adverse pregnancy outcomes, cancer incidence, hospitalizations, respiratory diseases, mental health problems, and more. Additionally, throughout the U.S., pregnant women, children, indigenous people, communities of color, and low-income communities disproportionately bear the negative impacts of fracking.

Our understanding of fracking's risks just continues to grow. We can't let this pollution of our air, water, climate, and health continue unabated, especially if we remove a tool from the President's toolbox, as H.R. 1121 would do.

We need some regulations in place to protect the health of our environment and our communities, otherwise we risk unleashing the fossil fuel industry's unfettered pollution and damage to our environment and our health.

For these reasons, at the appropriate time I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would require the Bureau of Land Management to issue regulations around fracking that include baseline water testing and public disclosure of the chemicals that companies use in their fracking operations before the ban on fracking bans can go into place.

At the end of the debate, I will insert into the Record the text of this amendment. I hope my colleagues will join me for the motion to recommit.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source