Petroleum council director criticizes proposed hydraulic fracturing ban
David Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council (FPC), said this week that Sen. Dana Young’s (R-FL) proposed ban on hydraulic fracturing could harm consumers and families who see economic benefits from energy production.
“Our industry has a long history of providing environmental and economic benefits,” Mica said. “The United States is the leading producer of oil, natural gas and refined product in the world, and the decades-old technique of hydraulic fracturing has led to lower energy costs for consumers and improvements in the environment. Senator Dana Young’s proposed ban could undermine the benefits that Florida families and consumers are seeing today.”
A report on hydraulic fracturing, released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in December 2016, said the agency was not able to fully assess the potential impacts on drinking water due to data gaps and uncertainty but that hydraulic fracturing could affect drinking water resources under certain conditions.
The FPC maintains that the process is safe.
“The technology has been proven safe, and Florida is realizing the economic and environmental benefits of its use,” Mica said. “Thanks in part to the increased use of domestic natural gas, ozone concentrations in the air have dropped by 17 percent since 2000, all of which makes the United States not just an energy superpower, but also a leader in reducing global emissions. Let’s not move backwards when the gains of energy security are important for Florida families.”
FPC, a division of API with more than 625 members, represents the U.S. oil and natural gas industry.
