Michigan must delay all new natural gas exploration and extraction by hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," until our laws and regulations are updated to protect water quantity and quality, and to require public disclosure of chemical use and public participation in the permitting process. That was the message Sierra Club and Clean Water Action delivered on May 17 in response to the growing threat to Michigan's water from proposed deep well fracking. Join this effort by telling Governor Rick Snyder to direct the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to delay issuing any new fracking permits until regulations are updated.
Michigan's economy depends on clean water and air. But they are threatened by fracking, a type of drilling used to access deep shale gas formations. Companies drill down as deep as 9500 feet, then horizontally another 5000 feet. Millions of gallons of water with thousands of gallons of chemicals are forcibly pumped down the well to blast open tight rock fissures, so the gas flows more freely up the well. A Congressional report lists hundreds of different chemicals and compounds, including 29 that are known or possible carcinogens or are regulated for other risks to human health. Some of these fracking fluids flow back up the wells carrying toxic and even radioactive substances mobilized from the rock by the fracking chemicals. Thousands of incidents of contamination from fracking have been reported in other states. In addition, millions of gallons of water are in effect diverted from the Great Lakes Basin since the chemical pollution and deep well disposal removes it from the water cycle forever.
Contact Governor Snyder using the form below to tell him it is in the best interest of Michigan's residents, water, and natural resources to put newly proposed hydraulic fracturing on hold until regulations are updated. Find out more about Sierra Club's work to protect our precious water and air from contamination from fracking on the Michigan Chapter webpage.
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