A veritable gusher of bills aimed at more tightly regulating Colorado’s oil and gas industry flooded the state legislature this past session, but just one made it through: the so-called “spill bill” sponsored by freshman state Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush.

In all, Democrats trotted out 10 environmentally friendly bills aimed at mitigating the impacts of the ongoing oil and gas boom that’s being felt most acutely along the state’s northern Front Range.

Mitsch Bush, a Steamboat Democrat who represents Eagle and Routt counties, managed to get bipartisan support for House Bill 1278, which was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper last weekend in Steamboat.
Oil and gas drilling near the Roan Plateau. (Photo/Ecoflight.info)

Despite intense political pressure by the oil industry, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on April 29 approved three bills proposing to halt fracking (hydraulic fracturing), a controversial method of oil and natural gas extraction, in California.

Fracking opponents fear that increased water diversions destined for the peripheral tunnels proposed under the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) will be used for expanding fracking in Monterey Shale deposits in the San Joaquin Valley and coastal areas. The construction of the tunnels is expected to hasten the extinction of Central Valley Chinook salmon, Delta smelt and other fish species.

I am in contact almost daily with those who bear the burden of pollution on our power grid, who have difficulty paying their bills, and who live in questionable housing stock. Aside from a lack of access to capital and power, these residents of the Commonwealth suffer from a lack of access to essential information. Mayor Menino’s building energy ordinance, which passed overwhelmingly thanks to progressive leadership in City Council, is one key tool for providing this information (“Boston energy, water use law approved,” Business, May 9).

Vegetables that are genetically modified to resist pests have become a part of our daily diet, whether we like it or not. Several states have been considering legislation that would require the labeling of GMO products, but Connecticut could be the first to pass such a law. Opponents of the bill say there’s no health risk, and a law like this would pass on higher prices to consumers.

Other bills being considered would attempt to protect children and adults from toxic chemicals in products - but do state bans like this work?  We’ll consider GMOs and BPAs as they become hot topics at the state capitol.

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In 2012 Clean Water Action celebrated the adoption of Human Right to Water legislation in California. That was a major accomplishment, but there is still much to do. Through diligent advocacy and our participation on the Governor’s Drinking Water Task Force, we have primed decision-makers in Sacramento about priorities for addressing contaminated drinking water. We have helped several members of the California Assembly make safe drinking water a priority and eight bills have been introduced to promote access to safe drinking water.  Those bills fall into three main categories; regulatory reform, research, and funding.

Regulatory Reform

Stop Fracking with California

Clean Water Action is supporting a package of strong bills to protect California from the dangers of hydraulic fracturing. Among the bills that we are sponsoring and supporting are three that  would impose a moratorium on fracking in California and bills that implement safeguards such as groundwater monitoring, wastewater disposal planning, a rigorous permitting process, and full chemical disclosure.

Click here to read about all of the fracking related bills and follow their status.

Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to send Gina McCarthy’s nomination to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the full Senate for confirmation. Clean Water Action congratulates Chairwoman Boxer and the committee and urges the Senate to confirm Ms. McCarthy as soon as possible.

Clean Water Action President & CEO released this statement:

While California is considering many good bills to address fracking, one bill threatens to codify weak industry friendly regulations – AB 7 (Wieckowski).  Among its many problems, AB 7 was written in consultation with the oil industry – the very group it’s meant to regulate, and has no support from environmental and health groups.

Help us stop AB 7 today! Click here to send a message to your elected officials

When you fear your drinking water has been contaminated by natural gas drilling you have a place to turn to for help - the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In a letter, former DEP Secretary Michael Krancer said, “DEP has determined that Marcellus shale drilling has impacted the water supplies of 25 separate complainants since 2009.” This is the biggest admission to date of impacted families but there are many other Pennsylvanians who are experiencing water problems due to drilling. Has your water been affected by drilling? Do you know someone whose water has been impacted? We want to hear from you - click here to share your story!

Washington, DC – Saying that it was time for the Senate to let the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “get to work,” Clean Water Action called on Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and his GOP colleagues to “show up and vote” and allow Gina McCarthy’s nomination process to move forward. Last week, claiming that Ms. McCarthy hadn’t sufficiently answered the nearly 1100 questions submitted to her, Senator Vitter led a boycott of a scheduled committee vote, denying quorum, and preventing the process from moving forward.