Act now to phase out fracking in California

Fracking, or “hydraulic fracturing,” is a common oil and gas extraction process where operators drill horizontally underground and pump toxic fluid at high pressure to fracture shale rock, capturing otherwise inaccessible fossil fuels. 

Fracking pollutes our air, land and water while deepening our dependence on fossil fuels and exacerbating the climate crisis. In short, it’s an environmental nightmare that must be stopped as soon as possible in California.

The toxic impacts of fracking:

• Fracking produces enormous volumes of toxic wastewater, which poses hazards for drinking water, air quality and public safety
• Fracking requires huge volumes of water for each well, wasting California’s precious water resources
• Fracking uses a wide range of chemicals, many of them toxic to humans and our environment
• Fracking-related activities release thousands of tons of health-threatening air pollution, worsening California’s already poor air quality
• Fracking produces significant volumes of global warming pollution, exacerbating the climate crisis and working against our clean energy transition
• Fracking damages our natural heritage, turning forests and rural landscapes into polluting industrial zones

In 2021, Gov. Newsom directed the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) to end new fracking permits, and the agency is now accepting public comments to finally phase out fracking. Environment California and our members have called on state leaders for over a decade to protect Californians from the dangers of fracking.

This is our opportunity to phase out filthy fracking in California once and for all.

Tell state regulators at CalGEM to stop issuing new fracking permits: