Oregon Governor Brown Signs Five-Year Fracking Ban

For Immediate Release—June 17, 2019

Contact: Thomas Meyer, (360) 460-7397, [email protected]

Salem—Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law a five-year ban on fracking. HB 2623, sponsored by Rep. Julie Fahey and Sen. James Manning, received final approval by the state legislature on June 5.

The controversial process of oil and gas drilling has poisoned drinking water and caused widespread health problems in other states, and has been banned in Vermont, New York, Maryland, and Washington. Food & Water Watch was the first national organization to call for a ban on fracking everywhere, and has helped mobilize opposition to fracking in Oregon and across the country.

In response to the governor signing the bill into law, Food & Water Watch Regional Organizing Manager Thomas Meyer issued this statement:

“This is a huge victory for Oregon communities and the growing national movement against fracking. Fracking should be banned everywhere, for the sake of our health, our water, and the climate we all depend on. Passing this bill is a big step towards achieving that goal.

“While we applaud Governor Brown for signing the fracking moratorium into law, she needs to do even more to stop dangerous fracked gas infrastructure in Oregon. A new Food & Water Watch report makes it clear that in order to address the climate crisis, we need to stop all new fracked gas infrastructure, including the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and the Pacific Connector pipeline. Governor Brown should use her executive authority to stop dangerous fracked gas projects and transition Oregon to 100% clean, renewable energy now.”

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Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.