Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a new bill that could radically change the U.S. energy sector.
“Fracking is destroying our land and our water. It is wreaking havoc on our communities’ health,” the New York Democrat said in a Wednesday tweet. “We must do our job to protect our future from the harms caused by the fracking industry. That is why I am proud to introduce the Fracking Ban Act.”
Fracking is destroying our land and our water. It is wreaking havoc on our communities’ health. We must do our job to protect our future from the harms caused by the fracking industry. That is why I am proud to introduce the Fracking Ban Act with @RepDarrenSoto today. pic.twitter.com/Mt7EEUxPPo
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) February 12, 2020
Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a version of the bill to the Senate last month that he worked on with Ocasio-Cortez. “I don’t want the dirty fracking industry CEOs to know what hit them,” the Vermont independent said about his “surprise legislation.”
I don’t mind if @MarkRuffalo spoils his own movies. But please, don’t ruin the surprise of our new legislation with Rep. @AOC, @SenJeffMerkley and @RepDarrenSoto.
I don’t want the dirty fracking industry CEOs to know what hit them. pic.twitter.com/OBbQnpOHsy
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 30, 2020
The American Petroleum Institute slammed the bill saying it would hurt the people who work in the energy industry. “Banning a safe, successful method of developing energy would erase a generation of American energy progress and in the process destroy millions of U.S. jobs, spike household energy costs and hurt farmers and manufacturers,” a representative for the organization said.
President Trump’s administration has encouraged an increase in fracking. The increasing reliance on fracking in place of coal in the United States has led to a 2.1% decrease in emissions in 2019, according to one estimate.
