To limit the damage from fracking until it can be ended entirely, fracking should not be expanded to any new areas of Virginia, including the Tidewater region until the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has thoroughly reviewed and revised its current regulations based on a scientific analysis of the potential impactand risks of fracking on the both the environment and health of residents. This should include the risks of earthquakes impacting the nuclear power plants at Lake Annaand Calvert Hills, depletion of water in the Potomac Aquifer, safe well head set-back distances from populated and environmentally sensitive areas, and others. 

In addition, the Club calls for stricter state regulations of all phases of fracking operations and remediation to minimize public harms; full disclosure to the public of all activities, chemicals, spills, leaks and clean up; full disclosure of pipeline networks to collect andtransport the gas; and measures to monitor and stop methane emissions when gas is drilled, produced, processed, and transported, and during the years after wells cease to operate. Greater financial  guarantees of good performance are needed from well owners and operators. Further, we should promptly close loopholes that effectively exempt fracking from important aspects of major national environmental laws.

• We must clean up the way natural gas and oil are extracted to protect the environment and public health while focusing on increasing efficiency of their use to minimize reliance on these dirty, dangerous fossil fuels.

• We must replace all fossil fuels with clean, renewable options, efficiency, conservation, and smart transportation choices. Natural gas and oil developers should not be allowed to proceed with development until safeguards are put in place which credibly assure protection of communities and ecosystems.

• All natural gas and oil production, whether produced by conventional or unconventional means, such as hydraulic fracturing, should be governed by a robust and effective regulatory structure; all natural gas and oil should be produced according to rigorous standards to minimize environmental damage.

• The natural gas and oil industry should not be exempted from any federal, state or local environmental, disclosure or safety laws and regulations. States should be required to monitor natural gas and oil development to limit environmental damage and be adequately funded to enforce all safeguards. Unsuitable areas should be placed off limits to development

                                                           Click Here to Learn More About Fracking!

 Jessica Sims

 Community Outreach Coordinator 

 Stop the Pipelines Campaign Lead 

 Phone: (804) 366-0745 

 Email: jessica.sims[at]sierraclub.org