Please sign the Water Bill of Rights Today

TakePart.com
April, 30 2012





SIGN PETITION HERE 

Americans have the right to safe, clean and accessible drinking water at replenishable levels. And the organizations in our community - including governments, corporations and nonprofits - have the responsibility to protect our water resources for me, my family, my community and for future generations.

I believe we have certain rights to our water and that both local and national governments must do the following to properly manage our water:

1. Quality. Monitor water sources and educate Americans about the presence and effects of chemicals and contaminants in our water, and inform people about the sources of, and possible threats to, their water.

2. Conservation. Support policies that replenish and sustain our local water resources for our entire community, and measure groundwater and surface water sources to guarantee proper monitoring and usage of public resources; where possible, provide incentives to businesses and individuals to conserve water resources; promote fair and equitable allocation of resources.

3. Consumption. Inform Americans about effective ways to moderate - or minimize - their personal consumption of public water resources, including the environmental effects of consuming bottled water, and to educate people about "hidden water."

4. Infrastructure. Support polices to upgrade and protect infrastructure systems to prevent economic loss from damaged systems, promote recycled water and provide safe, clean and consistent water resources for all in our community.

About this Petition

The Water Bill of Rights is a declaration that all Americans deserve access to safe, clean drinking water.

As depicted in Participant Media's documentary, Last Call at the Oasis, the United States faces a significant crisis in terms of water quality and quantity. Our aging infrastructure, overuse of chemical pollutants, and inefficient practices are wasting our most precious resource, and we must take action now. In the coming months, we'll be delivering this declaration to members of Congress and state governors and asking them to make water issues an ongoing priority.

Sign the Bill of Rights now to add your voice to this critical discussion.

After you sign the Water Bill of Rights, share it on Twitter and Facebook and ask your friends and family to join you in signing and invite them to learn more about the critical issues surrounding our water crisis.

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Please sign the petition today.

Critics of energy 'fracking' raise new concern: sand - Air quality a serious issue

By Anna Driver

updated 9/21/2011 4:56:22 PM ET

Farmer at one proposed Texas site cites 'air quality concerns, concerns about water quality and worries about truck traffic' 

This EOG Resources site in Cooke County, Texas, is seen being prepared last June for operation as a sand mine. It has drawn opposition from groups like Save the Trinity Aquifer, which believes the operation could contaminate local water supplies 

  HOUSTON — Fracking, the latest push in the quest to produce oil and gas, has been blamed for environmental problems ranging from flammable tap water to minor earthquakes. Now a new risk is being alleged: sand mining.

To squeeze hydrocarbons out of shale through hydraulic fracturing of the rock — the process known as fracking — producers need to pump an enormous amount of sand and other materials into the ground.
Obtaining the sand for this requires removing the top layer of earth over a sandstone deposit and using heavy equipment and large amounts of water to produce the fine grains.

According to some environmentalists and residents of affected areas, sand mining poses a threat to air and water quality.

Facing a shortage of the sand needed in fracking, oil and gas producer EOG Resources got into this mining business to secure scare supplies and bring down costs.

But the company is facing big opposition to an operation planned in North Texas' Cooke County.
"One of the big concerns is the impact on the air," said Jessie Thomas-Blate of the conservation group American Rivers. "Mining kicks up a lot of dust, and the people in the area can breathe in that dust."

"One of the big concerns is the impact on the air," said Jessie Thomas-Blate of the conservation group American Rivers. "Mining kicks up a lot of dust, and the people in the area can breathe in that dust."


Continue reading...

Colorado announces water-sampling effort to fight fracking fears

Houston (Platts)--

2Aug2011

The governor of Colorado on Tuesday announced a joint program between the state and the oil and natural gas industry to collect groundwater samples before and after hydraulic fracturing operations, to test whether they are harmful to the environment.

Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said the effort was the first of its kind and was needed to build trust with the public and fight doubts and "paranoia" about the effects of hydraulic fracturing operations.

"The best way to fight back on that kind of misinformation is to be transparent ... to clearly demonstrate beyond any possible doubt that this doesn't happen," he told the Colorado Oil & Gas Association's Energy Epicenter conference in Denver.

The water sampling effort will be a statewide, voluntary program where groundwater samples would be collected by a third-party, with oversight and monitoring by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The department would also hold onto all the sampling data, which would allow it to evaluate trends and water quality, Hickenlooper said.

Hickenlooper also said many larger drillers, representing 90% of all the wells set to be drilled in 2011, have already signed up for the program. He said he is hoping for near 100% participation.

Continue reading...

Best of luck Governor. The probability of water contamination already exists and may rear it's head in the years to come.  If billions/trillions of gallons of 'toxic' produced water has already been, and will continue to be, deposited down into the ground,  do you really expect it to migrate this rapidly to show positive contamination results? 

Years from now we may see some horrific water contamination but let's be realistic with your water testing campaign. You appear to 'fight fracking fears' with demonstrations that indicate negative contamination results. 

We advise you test the deep injection wells and publish the chemical analytical results now so that the citizens of Colorado have  future chemical benchmarks of non-point source pollution sites. We also strongly urge you to  hire more field inspectors to prevent surface contamination as well. 

Is the state in collision with its mission statement?  Bullet point number four: 'The prevention and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts.'  Prevention is a proactive  approach of employing mitigating factors. It may appear that adaptive 'too-late' management is once again haunting us.


please vote on poll below - thank you

Benzene Health Risks

Eye Contact:

Check for and remove any contact lenses. In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Cold water may be used. WARM water MUST be used. Get medical attention immediately.

Skin Contact:

In case of contact, immediately flush skin with plenty of water. Cover the irritated skin with an emollient. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Wash clothing before reuse. Thoroughly clean shoes before reuse. Get medical attention.

Serious Skin Contact:

Wash with a disinfectant soap and cover the contaminated skin with an anti-bacterial cream. Seek immediate medical attention.

Inhalation:

If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical attention if symptoms appear.

Serious Inhalation:

Evacuate the victim to a safe area as soon as possible. Loosen tight clothing such as a collar, tie, belt or waistband. If breathing is difficult, administer oxygen. If the victim is not breathing, perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Seek medical attention.

Ingestion:

Do NOT induce vomiting unless directed to do so by medical personnel. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. If large quantities of this material are swallowed, call a physician immediately. Loosen tight clothing such as a collar, tie, belt or waistband.

Serious Ingestion:

Not available.

PLEASE WATCH

In My Backyard from Joe Duty on Vimeo.


BENZENE: HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

Potential Acute Health Effects

Very hazardous in case of eye contact (irritant), of inhalation. Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant, permeator), of ingestion. Inflammation of the eye is characterized by redness, watering, and itching.

Routes of Entry:

Absorbed through skin. Dermal contact. Eye contact. Inhalation.

Toxicity to Animals:

WARNING: THE LC50 VALUES HEREUNDER ARE ESTIMATED ON THE BASIS OF A 4-HOUR EXPOSURE. Acute oral

toxicity (LD50): 930 mg/kg [Rat]. Acute dermal toxicity (LD50): >9400 mg/kg [Rabbit]. Acute toxicity of the vapor (LC50): 10000

7 hours [Rat].

Potential Chronic Health Effects:

Chronic Effects on Humans

CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Classified A1 (Confirmed for human.) by ACGIH, 1 (Proven for human.) by IARC. MUTAGENIC

EFFECTS: Classified POSSIBLE for human. Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast.

TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Classified Reproductive system/toxin/female

[POSSIBLE]. The substance is toxic to blood, bone marrow, central nervous system (CNS). The substance may be toxic to liver, Urinary System. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.

Engineering Controls:

Provide exhaust ventilation or other engineering controls to keep the airborne concentrations of vapors below their respective threshold limit value. Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are proximal to the work-station location.

Personal Protection:

Splash goggles. Lab coat. Vapor respirator. Be sure to use an approved/certified respirator or equivalent. Gloves.

Personal Protection in Case of a Large Spill:

Splash goggles. Full suit. Vapor respirator. Boots. Gloves. A self contained breathing apparatus should be used to avoid inhalation of the product. Suggested protective clothing might not be sufficient; consult a specialist BEFORE handling this product.

Exposure Limits:

TWA: 0.5 STEL: 2.5 (ppm) from ACGIH (TLV) [United States] TWA: 1.6 STEL: 8 (mg/m3) from ACGIH (TLV) [United States]

TWA: 0.1 STEL: 1 from NIOSH TWA: 1 STEL: 5 (ppm) from OSHA (PEL) [United States] TWA: 10 (ppm) from OSHA (PEL)

[United States] TWA: 3 (ppm) [United Kingdom (UK)] TWA: 1.6 (mg/m3) [United Kingdom (UK)] TWA: 1 (ppm) [Canada] TWA:

3.2 (mg/m3) [Canada] TWA: 0.5 (ppm) [Canada]Consult local authorities for acceptable exposure limits.

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Sciencelab.com, Inc.

14025 Smith Rd.

Houston, Texas 77391-800-901-7247