H.951 - An Act to eliminate hydraulic fracturing in the Commonwealth

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Background: The environmental harm of fracking is well documented. Wastewater, which consists of used fracking fluid, produced contaminated water, and many natural contaminants ranging from heavy metals to radioactive materials, must be disposed of in some way—often in surface-level pits or via injection into deep wells. Both methods are exceptionally environmentally harmful. All of these concerns are especially relevant in Massachusetts, given the potential future oil and gas development that could take place in the Hartford basin. The Hartford basin stretches into western Massachusetts, near major population centers such as Springfield and major water sources such as the Quabbin Reservoir, and although the basin is currently unexplored and untapped, future technology may render the area suitable for oil and gas exploration. The potential of bringing pollution, contamination, and all the negative public health concerns that come with that to Massachusetts should be stamped out. 

What this resolution does: H.951 would have the State of Massachusetts issued a memorandum to Congress asking them to overturn the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision. This resolution is just one of two bills Rep. Gentile is sponsoring to reform campaign finance by reversing the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision. These bills would place an outright ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as well as the collection, storage, treatment, or disposal of wastewater and other byproducts of fracking.