March 23, 2012

Congressman Tim Holden (D-PA) voted to deregulate the horizontal drilling industry, a process commonly known as “fracking,” by voting for the “ Halliburton Loophole ” placed by industry lobbyists. The law exempted the process from the Clean Water Act, allowing oil and natural gas companies to go about their business with little accountability. In many cases, local communities have faced a variety of chemicals in their drinking water, some of them believed to be carcinogenic, because of the fracking boom in recent years.

On Wednesday, Republic Report caught up with Holden as he entered the Rayburn House Office building.

FANG: I know fracking has been a big issue in Pennsylvania, but you voted for the bill that basically deregulates it– HOLDEN: Also had a lot of good stuff things in there for coal and weatherization– FANG: — but the Clean Water Act. You voted to exempt fracking. Is that because of the contributions you received?

Watch it:

Although Holden seems to be singing a new tune on fracking recently, as early as last year he took time during a committee hearing to praise the industry. The fracking industry has operated “ safely and responsibly ,” Holden said during a meeting to determine if fracking companies can drill in federally-owned forests. In reality, there is a long history of fracking pollution, including many examples in Holden’s home state.

Oil and gas interests have provided Holden with some $400,000 in contributions over the course of his career.