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Cartwright Drafts Letter to EPA Urging Action on Water Contamination Issues

Press Release

Date: April 1, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Oil and Gas Environment

Today, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter -- cosigned by 7 Democratic House colleagues -- to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy. The letter urges EPA to address water contamination issues, resulting from drilling, in three specific communities: Pavillion, Wyoming; Dimock, Pennsylvania; and Parker County, Texas.

In each of these cases, the EPA made an initial investigation but either closed or abandoned their investigation before providing adequate answers to the citizens of these communities about the cause of their water contamination problems.

"Presently, oil and gas companies operate independent of our environmental and health laws due to unnecessary exemptions afforded to those industries. Unconventional drilling operations can pose a serious environmental and health risk to numerous communities across the country by polluting water sources," said Cartwright. "Access to clean drinking water is a basic right. Therefore, we ask that Administrator McCarthy investigate and address the water contamination in these three distressed communities."


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