Oil and Gas

Clean Water is working to protect people and communities from oil and gas production's harmful environmental and health impacts while pushing for the transition to a clean energy economy.

National

Sacrificing Water for Oil and Gas Profit

The Aquifer Exemption program in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) program allows certain oil and gas and mining activity to occur in groundwater that would otherwise be protected as a drinking water source.

Recent Actions

National

Get Money Out of Politics Today!

The oil and gas industry, aided by the erosion of campaign finance laws and nearly boundless lobbying budgets, asserts enormous influence over legislative processes in real time while also enjoying legacy influence in regulatory frame- works. The results can be devastating to the health of the environment and the public.

Sign the Petition!

Texas

Don't Let Companies Dump Fracking Wastewater Into Our Surface Water!

The Texas Legislature is on the verge of passing a bill (House Bill 2771) that would let oil companies discharge fracking wastewater into our rivers and streams.

Take action!

Pennsylvania

Tell DEP to Control Methane from Existing Oil & Gas Operations

Email DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell and demand the strong controls for methane emissions from existing oil and gas operations.

Act Now

Pennsylvania

Don’t let the Pennsylvania Senate block climate action

Despite President Trump’s disastrous decision to pull out the Paris Climate Accords, states across the country remain committed to working to address climate change and protect public health.

Act Now!

English

Oil and Gas Blog Posts

Pursuing Environmental Justice In Kern County

February 19, 2019

My name is Jesus Alonso, and I am the Kern Environmental Justice Community Organizer for Clean Water Action. I was born and raised in Lamont, a small, low-income, Spanish-speaking migrant community in Kern County. I am passionate about our work in Kern, not only because it is where I grew up but because the hard-working people of Kern face some of the worst environment-related health impacts and poorest air quality in our state. Multiple nearby pollution sources, including agriculture and oil and gas infrastructure, continually fill our air with contaminants.

13 Gas Projects Undermine Murphy Energy Plan, Threaten Climate Catastrophe

February 13, 2019

Today, Empower NJ released a new report documenting the devastating climate impacts of 13 fossil fuel projects in New Jersey.

Michigan Capitol building / photo: Denny Green, Clean Water

Lame Duck Heroes and Zeros

January 28, 2019

Lame Duck Heroes and Zeros

The end of 2018 was record-breaking. After passing 351 bills over the course of the first 22 months of Michigan’s 99^th legislative session, lawmakers passed a whopping 408 bills in a frenzied four-week long lame duck session. This was the busiest and the most environmentally destructive lame duck session in state history. Many of the bills passed were so widely unpopular that sponsors neglected to introduce them until after things died down post general election.