Should the President be prohibited from banning fracking without approval from Congress?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

The Protecting American Energy Production Act is a proposed law that aims to prevent the President from banning hydraulic fracturing (fracking) unless Congress specifically approves such a ban. Fracking is a method of extracting oil and natural gas from deep underground by injecting high-pressure fluid into rock formations to release the resources. The bill asserts that states should have the primary authority to regulate fracking on state and private lands rather than the federal government. Essentially, it seeks to protect the ability to use fracking for energy production without the threat of an executive ban. Sponsor: Rep. August Pfluger (Republican, Texas, District 11)
View full bill text ➔

How do you feel?

One click sends your opinion

Opponents say

•      "WHEREAS, fracking is controversial because of its destructive environmental impacts, which include the contamination of groundwater, the production of toxic waste, the consumption of large amounts of water (up to a million gallons of water used at each well), and negative health effects experienced by workers, nearby communities and wildlife; and... WHEREAS, fracking can release toxic chemicals, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, particulate matter, ozone, formaldehyde, and nitrogen oxides, into the environment that can affect human health; in particular, airborne chemicals released during drilling, construction, operation or transport activities have been linked to cancer, nervous system disorders, birth defects, and in some instances, death." Source: NAACP in a resolution against fracking in the United States 

•      "Inadequate disclosure and poor protections are common features of state fracking laws. In Texas, for example, companies routinely exploit a trade-secret loophole to avoid disclosing which chemicals they're using in fracking fluid. Companies used the Texas trade-secret exemption about 19,000 times in the first eight months of 2012. Pennsylvania state agencies have also confirmed more than 100 cases of pollution in the past five years, despite the state's fracking regulations. Fracking pollution occurs even in states with regulations. The best way to protect our water, air and climate is to ban fracking now. [...] But hasn't fracking been done in the United States for many years? Yes — but today's fracking techniques are new and pose new dangers. Technological changes have facilitated an explosion of fossil fuel production in areas where, even a decade ago, companies couldn't recover oil and gas profitably. Directional drilling, for example, is a new technique that has greatly expanded access to rock formations. Companies also employ high fluid volumes to fill horizontal “well bores” that sometimes extend for miles. And oil and gas producers are using new chemical concoctions called “slick water” that allow injection fluid to flow rapidly enough to generate the high pressure needed to break apart rock. As fracking methods have changed and fracking has expanded, so has the threat to public health and the environment increased." Source: The Center for Biological Diversity

Proponents say

•      "The Biden Administration has spent the last four years attacking the American energy industry, most recently attempting to shut it down by banning almost all new U.S. offshore drilling projects. It will be up to Republicans and President Trump to reestablish American energy independence and dominance in the 119th Congress. This is why my first piece of legislation in the 119th Congress will protect the American energy industry and consumers from the federal government. The Protecting American Energy Production Act will prevent any federal moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing and in turn, protect thousands of jobs for TX-11 and across America." Source: Rep. Pfluger, the sponsor of this bill in his press release (Republican, Texas, District 11)

•      "Fracking stimulates economic growth Advanced fracking technologies kicked off a new energy renaissance in America. Their success started a U.S. natural gas boom in 2007, which greatly accelerated in 2010. The innovation is one of the factors that has helped bring our economy out of recession and has helped create hundreds of thousands of American jobs. In 2015, shale gas made up half of all U.S. natural gas production.5 Source: US Energy Information Administration Even if you’ve never seen a fracking rig, the natural gas they produce has made your power bills cheaper. Before fracking, America had plans to import natural gas. Now we’re exporting it. A study commissioned by the Department of Energy found that benefits of exporting gas could add up to $47 billion annually to the economy by 2020. That’s real energy dominance. Natural gas is clean energy Most environmentalists don’t like fracking. They worry that the chemicals used could contaminate groundwater. These concerns should be taken seriously. But natural gas has also been an economically viable means of reducing carbon pollution. [...] Fracked natural gas burns more cleanly than coal and oil, so the net result is less carbon and other particulates. By replacing coal with gas, America has led the world in reducing carbon pollution." Source: ClearPath, a nonprofit organization, that is focused on "conservative clean energy"