Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2728, which would prevent the federal government from ever implementing a uniform baseline level of safety and environmental protection in hydraulic fracturing operations across the country.

Today's bill would preempt a rulemaking process that is not yet completed and require the federal government to defer to state regulations of fracking on public lands, no matter what those regulations may be. Moreover, because the bill forbids the Department of the Interior from exercising oversight over ``any component of' the fracking process, it could prevent application of basic protections under a variety of existing environmental laws.

States vary widely in their efforts to manage the expanded use of hydraulic fracturing and the federal government has a responsibility to provide a minimum baseline of oversight to protect our public lands, public safety, and public health. H.R. 2728 would block any proposed standards and impede existing law, and I urge a no vote.

Source