House Energy Bills Would Unleash Fracking Free-for-All on Public Lands

By Bobby McEnaney

Now that House Republicans have moved beyond closing national parks, stalling environmental safeguards and canceling research in places like Antarctica with the government shutdown, they’re scheduled to pass three wildly misguided energy bills.

These bills, H.R. 1900, H.R. 1965 and H.R. 2728, would give industry complete control over federal lands, and shut down the public’s voice. Worse yet, they would actually force development on precious lands in such places as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Already the White House has threatened to veto two of the bills.

Your public lands on frack. Oblique low-altitude aerial photo of wellpads, access roads, pipeline corridors and other natural-gas infrastructure in the Jonah Field of western Wyoming’s upper Green River valley. Photo credit: Bruce Gordon/ EcoFlight

Even stalwart supporters of fossil fuel development should be taken aback by the overreaching nature of these bills. We strongly urge Americans to call on their elected representatives to vote no on this terrible trio, for the good of our country’s natural resources and to protect the right of public engagement. Let’s take a closer look at why. To read the remainder of this article please click the link to EcoWatch: http://ecowatch.com/2013/11/19/house-energy-bills-would-unleash-fracking-free-for-all-on-public-lands/