EPA needs to hear from the public about their draft policies for protecting drinking water from diesel use in hydraulic fracturing gas and oil drilling. Diesel is a special risk for drinking water because:

• The chemicals in diesel are linked to numerous adverse health effects including cancer, kidney and liver problems and nervous system damage.
• They are toxic at very low levels and are soluble in water, which is of particular concern when injecting them into the ground near underground sources of drinking water.
  

Earthworks is calling on EPA to:

• Ban the use of diesel in hydraulic fracturing
• If use of diesel in hydraulic fracturing is not banned, EPA’s final Guidance should put in place the strictest possible requirements in order to protect underground sources of drinking water.
• Initiate formal rulemaking, in order to give the protections the full force of the law.
• Use a broad definition of “diesel” to best protect drinking water from BTEX compounds.

Diesel map from the Energy and Commerce Committee

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For more information:

• Earthworks Diesel Guidance Factsheet
• EARTHblog Time to Ban Diesel in Fracking