Fracking-Harmed Residents to Confront EPA Administrator, Demand Reopening of Investigation of Poisoned Drinking Water with 50,000+ Petitions at EPA Headquarters

Pennsylvania residents personally harmed by gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” traveled from their homes to deliver 50,000 petitions to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and President Obama to demand the reopening of the investigation into drinking water contamination in Dimock, PA. This action comes after a recent story by the Los Angeles Times that indicated that the EPA covered up evidence of contaminated water caused by the controversial drilling method. The residents have conducted press conferences along their trip to DC in Scranton and Philadelphia outside of the Region 3 EPA office. They will deliver about 50,000 petitions calling on the EPA to reopen investigations in Dimock and other locations and provide safe drinking water to residents while these investigations recommence.

A recent report in the Los Angeles Times revealed that EPA officials in Washington chose to close an investigation of Dimock drinking water despite evidence gathered from agency investigators based in Philadelphia that found “significant damage to the water quality,” from poisonous contamination likely caused by fracking. The EPA PowerPoint Presentation was released last Monday on DeSmog blog by investigative journalist Steve Horn. Evidence of drinking water contamination due to fracking was similarly ignored by the EPA in Pavillion, Wyoming and Weatherford, Texas.

What:  Press conference with Pennsylvania residents harmed by fracking delivering 50,000 petitions and fracked water to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, demanding reopening of EPA fracking investigation following LA Times story of EPA cover up of water contamination

When:  Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013, 11am

Where:  EPA Headquarters, 1310 L Street, NW,

Visuals:  Boxes of petition, gallons of dirty Dimock drinking water, PowerPoint slides from EPA Region 3 employees.

Who:  Affected resident/activists, including:

• Ray Kemble – Dimock, PA resident and former gas industry employee-turned whistleblower. He has been living with contaminated water for more than four years. EPA tested his water as part of their investigation and told him that his cloudy, dirty, noxious smelling water is safe to drink. He now drives a makeshift water delivery truck to supply clean water to neighbors whom the EPA has ignored, supported by volunteer donations.

• Craig Stevens – Silver Lake Township, PA resident and victim of repeated fracking-related contamination on his property. Instigated an EPA Region 3 investigation of his property after 100,000 gallons of toxic liquids were dumped there. Organized the movement to alert local EPA officials to toxic contamination in the Dimock region that led to the EPA investigation and subsequent cover-up.