EPA’S Permittance of Toxic PFAS Chemicals in Fracking is Cause to Ban the Process Entirely

A media report out this morning indicates that going back at least as far as 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the use of chemicals in the process of fracking that were known to be highly toxic, long-lasting in the environment, and inherently hazardous to human health and water safety. The chemicals, known as PFAS, have been widely used in fracking in many states over the past decade, the report indicates.

In response, Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“This alarming report confirms what hundreds of scientific studies and thousands of pages of data have already shown over the last decade: fracking is inherently hazardous to the health and safety of people and communities in proximity to it, and it should be banned entirely. This says nothing of the dreadful impact fossil fuel extraction and burning is having on our runaway climate crisis. Fracking threatens every person on the planet, directly or indirectly.

“The Biden administration has claimed to be concerned about PFAS contamination throughout the country. President Biden himself pledged during the campaign to halt new fracking on federal lands. Meanwhile, this administration is approving new fracking permits at a pace similar to Trump, with no letup in sight. The Obama-Biden administration approved the use of toxic PFAS chemicals for fracking a decade ago, and all these years later, Biden’s practices haven’t seemed to change a bit.

“President Biden needs to immediately make good on his promise to halt new fracking on federal lands, and his administration must take urgent action to contain the use of PFAS chemicals and their deadly spread into our water and our communities.”

Food & Water Watch was the first national organization in America to call for a ban on fracking everywhere, nearly 15 years ago.