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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Seth Gladstone – sgladstone@fwwatch.org, 347.778.2866

Administration Must Admit to Political Meddling in Fracking Contamination Report, Clarify and Finalize Findings of Harm

President Must Meet with Those Harmed by Fracking and Protect Communities Like Standing Rock from Future Peril

WASHINGTON

A report from Marketplace today confirmed what Food & Water Watch has indicated for some time: that the Obama administration made high-level, last-minute edits to the top-line findings (and accompanying press materials) of a draft scientific report that dramatically underplayed clear evidence of water contamination caused by fracking. Subsequently, Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter has issued the following statement:

"Enough is enough. We've suspected for months that the White House egregiously manipulated the headlines and summary findings of a draft study in order to obfuscate the details buried within - details confirming that fracking has caused numerous cases of water contamination. Today's report confirms this political meddling. It's time for the administration to acknowledge its intervention in the crafting of the draft study, and issue a final version that clearly and conclusively highlights that fracking does indeed cause water contamination.

"Furthermore, before he leaves office, President Obama should meet with impacted individuals and hear directly their stories of suffering from serious health effects related to fracking. And he must protect communities directly in the path of future fossil fuel hazards. He must start by protecting the Standing Rock Sioux and taking the Dakota Access pipeline off the table for good."

Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people's health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.

(202) 683-2500