Tell DEP Secretary Vinyard: Stop Illegal Fracking

Hughes Co., a Texas oil company, stated at public hearings that they had no intention of fracking in Florida, but they went ahead and did it anyway. The response from Gov. Scott's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) might as well have been an invitation to do it again: a $25,000 fine for a company with tens of millions of dollars in estimated annual revenues.

Sign the petition and demand Gov. Scott’s hand-picked DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard revoke the permit of Hughes Co. It's time our state set a strong example: illegal fracking will never be tolerated in Florida.

Dear Secretary Vinyard,

After Hughes Co. was caught secretly and illegally fracking in the Corkskrew Swamp Sanctuary, the Department of Environmental Protection levied a $25,000 fine on the company. Hughes Co. is a multi-million dollar company and this fine represents little more than a slap on the wrist.

We're outraged that Hughes Co. deliberately misled the public about their intentions to frack in Florida's western Everglades. Hughes Co. endangered our water, threatened our precious Everglades including a major nesting site for endangered wood storks, and arrogantly broke the law.

You and your department must clearly demonstrate you are in the business of protecting our environment, not giving a pass to Big Oil. We demand you use every legal method at your disposal, including revoking Hughes Co.'s permit, to genuinely hold Hughes Co. accountable for their outrageous actions. Now is the time to set an important precedent that illegal fracking will be met with swift and severe consequences by the people of Florida and their government.

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Subject: Florida got fracked

Friends,

A Texas oil company, Hughes Co., was caught secretly and illegally fracking on endangered Florida panther habitat in the western Everglades. Their punishment? A $25,000 slap on the wrist from Gov. Rick Scott's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Demand Gov. Scott’s hand-picked DEP Secretary Hershel Vinyard revoke the permit of Hughes Co. and set a strong example: illegal fracking will never be tolerated in Florida.

http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/illegal_fracking/?source=taf

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, is the use of sand, water, and chemicals, injected at incredibly high pressures, to blast open rock deep beneath the surface of the earth to release trapped oil and gas. This process is devastating communities across the country by poisoning air, soil, and contaminating drinking water. Now, the oil and gas industry has its sights set on Florida to expand this dirty and dangerous practice.

Hughes Co. representatives stated at public hearings that they had no intention of fracking in Florida, but they went ahead and did it anyway. The response from Gov. Scott’s DEP might as well have been an invitation to do it again: a $25,000 fine for a company with tens of millions of dollars in estimated annual revenues is nothing.

Floridians deserve real accountability for companies that ignore the law. Sign the petition today:

http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/illegal_fracking/?source=taf

Big Oil’s efforts to open the Everglades to oil and gas drilling have met strong opposition from residents, public health experts, and environmental groups. Meanwhile, state officials under Gov. Scott have done everything short of giving oil companies carte blanche to open Florida up to more drilling. Media reports have revealed that the DEP was aware of the Hughes Co.’s illegal fracking as recently as December 31st, yet they have since publicly parroted Hughes’ position that no fracking is planned for our state.

It's clear the oil companies believe they are above the law, and the DEP’s joke of a fine won’t change that. Gov. Scott’s DEP is so in bed with polluters that their consent order about the Hughes Co. violation fails to even mention fracking, citing "a confidential trade secret."

Add your voice to help protect one of our state’s greatest treasures from the threat of illegal fracking today. http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/illegal_fracking/?source=taf

Thanks for holding Big Oil accountable for their underhanded actions against our precious Everglades.

For our land and water,

Mark and the Progress Florida team

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