Money, lobbying, and fracking

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A new report from Common Cause examines the practice of “fracking,” which is a technique to release natural gas. Fracking, in some cases, causes pollution underground which could contaminate drinking water.

The report specifically looks at money spent by the natural gas industry to lobby the federal government. Currently, the report states, fracking is not heavily regulated, and some of this can be traced back to the over $747 million spent on lobbying and political spending by the natural gas industry over the last ten years.

With the Environmental Protection Agency producing a new report on fracking in 2012, the natural gas industry has increased incentive to lobby and contribute to campaigns, says Common Cause.

The Common Cause report also takes closer looks at fracking specifically in Ohio and Michigan in the Midwest (as well as Pennsylvania and New York).

Read the full report at Common Cause.

For an informational video about fracking, visit ProPublica.