Readers React: The BLM’s bogus fracking report

To the editor: The recent decision by the Bureau of Land Management to resume oil and gas leasing in California defies reason. (“Fracking report clears way for California oil, gas leasing to resume,” Aug. 28)

Its report finds no groundwater contamination from fracking — based on no data. Scientists asked for more time to conduct research but were denied. No information was found about toxicity of a third of the chemicals used. Some information that companies self-reported didn’t jibe with information they gave to regulatory agencies.

Beyond that, the decision will only increase the carbon emissions contributing to California’s drought and allow companies to permanently pollute. And what about evidence that fracking may cause earthquakes?

Rather than a justification to resume leasing, the report and decision should be a reason for legislators to look into who is pressuring the BLM to rush leasing through at the expense of California’s people and environment.

Cher Gilmore, Newhall

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To the editor: That scientific evidence of the dangers of fracking has not yet been obtained should not form a basis for the BLM concluding that fracking is not dangerous. Yet the BLM intends to use this faulty logic to resume leasing to gas and oil companies for fracking on federal lands.

This is reminiscent of our ignorance about the dangers of smoking before the definitive 1964 surgeon general’s report. Through science, we learned that tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals, dozens of which are carcinogenic and many of which are poisonous.

With fracking, we know that hundreds of chemicals are used, although oil companies won’t disclose their precise formulas.

While an individual could recklessly choose to smoke knowing the proven dangers, the BLM is an agency entrusted with protecting our federal lands. Leases for fracking should remain on hold until science can prove that fracking causes no harm.

Gloria Sefton, Trabuco Canyon