Petition: Tell DEP: Don't allow more toxic fracking chemicals in Florida's water

https://act.credoaction.com/sign/fla_water_toxics?t=7&akid=18186.1976086.G1urAI

According to reports this week from the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida officials are preparing to weaken restrictions on two dozen toxic chemicals in Florida’s water — including tripling the allowable level of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical used in Fracking.1

Thanks to public pushback, fracking still isn’t allowed in Florida, but the fracking industry is trying hard to change that. This plan to increase allowable benzene levels could be a backdoor attempt to help pave the way for fracking in the Sunshine State.2

As the Department of Environmental Protection considers these new standards, this is a vital moment for Floridians to speak out for the safety of their water.

Tell the Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Protect Florida’s water. Don’t weaken toxic standards that could pave the way for fracking.

While officials at the Department of Environmental Protection claim increasing benzene levels has nothing to do with fracking, it’s hard to take them at their word given the recent actions of the fracking industry in Florida.

After the oil and gas industry gave at least $443,000 to top Republicans in the legislature, the Florida house voted in February to pass a bill that would open the door to fracking, preempt local fracking bans, and provide exemptions for companies to avoid disclosing what chemicals they’re using.

Thanks to an outcry from Floridians, including nearly 10,000 CREDO Activists, the bill died in the state Senate. But we know the industry is not done — and we can’t let weakening toxics standards open the door for endangering Florida’s precious water with toxic fracking in fragile ecosystems.

With 90 percent of Floridians relying on groundwater aquifers for their drinking water, increasing levels of toxic contaminants is dangerous. And with the state so vulnerable to impacts from a heating planet, any attempt to expand fossil fuels and fracking should be a non-starter.

Tell the Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Protect Florida’s water. Don’t weaken toxic standards that could pave the way for fracking.

"Public blasts DEP over new water toxics limits," Tallahassee Democrat, 5/17/16
"Florida Proposes Tripling Amount Of Benzene That Can Be Polluted Into State Waters," ThinkProgress, 5/17/16
"House rejects attempts to impose health restrictions on oil and gas fracking," Tampa Bay Times, 1/26/16

***********

(I had to reload the page to sign the petition.)

ZVUGKTUBM wrote:

Floridatexan wrote:https://act.credoaction.com/sign/fla_water_toxics?t=7&akid=18186.1976086.G1urAI

Can you prove that fracking has affected groundwater in Florida? There is actually very little petroleum production in Florida.

Almost all fracking occurs thousands of feet below any potable water aquifers.

Does not your daughter work in the oil industry, and would you be happy if anti-petroleum interests rendered her unemployable?

Disclaimer: I happen to be pro-petroleum (because of family interests) while also realizing the necessity of fully developing solar and other possible alternatives to fossil fuels.

I should have posted my own disclaimer here just for you, Z. Not only are my daughter and SIL engaged in the oil boom but my grandfather, who passed away in 1982, worked the oilfield his entire life, as did my brother...and one of my sisters worked for several oil & support companies. So, I'm not anti-petroleum...not at all...and I also realize that even wind and solar have their drawbacks. But fracking in Florida? And relaxing the water standards to pave the way? Forget about fracking...just think of the implications for any polluting industry. I don't think the geology of Florida could support fracking.

Both of my grandfathers worked the oil fields in west Texas. One an engineer... the other a geologist.

Whatever our respective family ties to the oil biz...I think we can all agree that tripling the amount of benzine allowed in Florida water is a bad idea...so sign the petition.