Congressman Neguse Joins Breathe Act, Legislation to Crack Down On Fracking

Washington D.C.— Today, Congressman Joe Neguse joined the Bringing Reductions to Energy’s Airborne Toxic Health Effects (BREATHE) Act. The BREATHE Act would require the Environmental Protection Agency to amend its list of regulated air pollutants to include hydrogen sulfide as well as revise the list of air pollution sources within a year to include oil and gas wells as a major source of hydrogen sulfide. Specifically, the legislation would help tighten a current loophole that allows oil and gas wells from being regulated as a major source of toxic air pollution.

“It is time for the oil and gas industry to be regulated in the same manner as any other industrial source of pollutants. The science is clear, reducing hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gas emissions is necessary to protect our public health and safety. These common sense regulations will close the loophole that allows fracking to side-step the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Representative Neguse.

“The Bringing Reductions to Energy’s Airborne Toxic Health Effects (BREATHE) Act takes an important step towards addressing oil and gas emissions regulations,” said Representative Yvette Clarke. “The BREATHE Act would prevent toxic air pollution by reversing the exemption of oil and gas exploration and production activities, while also adding hydrogen sulfide to the Clean Air Act’s federal list of hazardous air pollutants. I look forward to working with my colleagues on advancing this important legislation forward to address the release of hydrogen sulfide into our atmosphere, and protect the health of our homes and families.