Should Congress protect the fracking of oil and gas from a presidential ban?
Bill Summary
The "Protecting American Energy Production Act" would protect the use of hydraulic fracturing - known as fracking - for oil and gas in the United States. The bill would do so by prohibiting the President from issuing moratoriums on the use of hydraulic fracturing without Congress first authorizing such a moratorium. The legislation comes in response to President Biden's executive order to pause all new oil and gas leases on federal lands.
Sponsor: Representative Jeff Duncan (Democrat, South Carolina, District 3)
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Opponents say
• "The science is clear: fracking is a leading contributor to our climate emergency. It is destroying our land. It is destroying our water and it is wreaking havoc on our communities' health. We must do our job to protect our future from the harms caused by the fracking industry and its methane emissions."
Source: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Democrat, New York, District 14)
• "Oil CEOs don’t have to live next to active fracking wells, but millions of Black, Brown, and working-class people do. They’re the ones who bear the brunt of the oil and gas industry’s toxic pollution and blatant disregard for human health. Fracking is at the center of the industry’s reckless and self-serving growth strategy, but it’s time to put an end to corporate profit at the expense of people and the planet. This bill does just that, and it affirms that the federal government must protect workers and families who will be impacted by the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels." Source: Senior Climate Campaigner John Noël (Greenpeace)
• "Oil CEOs don’t have to live next to active fracking wells, but millions of Black, Brown, and working-class people do. They’re the ones who bear the brunt of the oil and gas industry’s toxic pollution and blatant disregard for human health. Fracking is at the center of the industry’s reckless and self-serving growth strategy, but it’s time to put an end to corporate profit at the expense of people and the planet. This bill does just that, and it affirms that the federal government must protect workers and families who will be impacted by the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels." Source: Senior Climate Campaigner John Noël (Greenpeace)
Proponents say
• "U.S. energy independence supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs, strengthens our economy, and bolsters our national security against bad actors and supply chain threats… This bill is part of an important effort to ensure our American energy sector continues to power our lives, from the fuel in our cars to the electricity in our homes, for future generations"
Source: Former Rep. Greg Walden (Republican, Oregon, District 2)
• "According to a recent study, placing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing would mean a $900 billion increase in U.S. household energy costs, $7.1 trillion in potential losses to the U.S. economy through 2030, and over 7 million fewer U.S. jobs by 2022. Further, it would force the U.S. to import 40 percent of our oil and petroleum products and 29 percent of our natural gas by 2030. The Protecting American Energy Production Act would prohibit the President from banning fracking and in turn safeguard our energy production, our national security, and the livelihoods of thousands of Americans." Source: Rep. Jeff Duncan (Democrat, South Carolina, District 3)
• "According to a recent study, placing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing would mean a $900 billion increase in U.S. household energy costs, $7.1 trillion in potential losses to the U.S. economy through 2030, and over 7 million fewer U.S. jobs by 2022. Further, it would force the U.S. to import 40 percent of our oil and petroleum products and 29 percent of our natural gas by 2030. The Protecting American Energy Production Act would prohibit the President from banning fracking and in turn safeguard our energy production, our national security, and the livelihoods of thousands of Americans." Source: Rep. Jeff Duncan (Democrat, South Carolina, District 3)
- Biden Poised To Halt New Fossil Fuel Leasing On Federal Land And Water (Washington Post)
- Senate confirms David Turk as deputy Energy secretary (The Hill)
- Fractured: The body burden of living near fracking (Environmental Health News)
- US Energy Independence Is On the Way Out (Fox Business)
- Seven Senate Democrats Oppose Fracking Ban in Symbolic Vote (Newsweek)
