Rick Perry Disputes Idea That Hydrofracking Pollutes Groundwater
EmailDECORAH, Iowa – During an exchange at a town hall Sunday night, Texas Gov. Rick Perry disputed the notion that hydraulic fracturing contaminates groundwater.
“We can have this conversation but you cannot show me one place, not one where there is a proven pollution of groundwater by hydraulic fracking,” Perry said as he interrupted a questioner who claimed it did pollute water.
“That’s false,” a man in the audience shouted.
The controversial process involves the mixture of water, sand and chemicals inserted deep into the ground to enhance the productivity of oil and gas wells.
Perry held firm to his claim, saying there is no scientific proof hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydrofracking, has contaminated groundwater, and noted his home state of Texas has participated in the process for years.
“Bring me the paper, bring me the paper, show me the paper,” Perry said. “I am truly offended that the American public would be hoodwinked by stories that do not scientifically hold up. If that was true, it would be on the front page of every newspaper. It would be on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News. Everybody would be running that story. We have been using hydraulic fracturing in my home state for years and this is a fear tactic that the left is using and the environmental community is using that absolutely, excuse the pun, does not hold water.”
“Not true,” an audience member said again.
“Bring me the evidence and once we do that, you show it to me, and I’ll be the first to say you’ve got a point,” Perry concluded, moving onto a question about states’ rights.
On Dec. 9, the Environmental Protection Agency released a “draft” report implicating hydrofracking as causing ground water pollution in Pavillion, Wyo., the first major study finding such a claim. The Wall Street Journal released an editorial Sunday evening debunking the EPA’s report, saying the study “is neither definitive nor applicable to the rest of the country,” and much like Perry, the paper questioned the credibility of the EPA.
“The safety of America’s drinking water needs to be protected, as the fracking industry itself well knows,” the Wall street editorial read. “Nothing would shut down drilling faster, and destroy billions of dollars of investment, than media interviews with mothers afraid to let their kids brush their teeth with polluted water. So the EPA study needs to be carefully reviewed. “But the EPA’s credibility is also open to review. The agency is dominated by anticarbon true believers, and the Obama Administration has waged a campaign to raise the price and limit the production of fossil fuels.”
The campaign had no other comment on the exchange.
Perry’s town hall in Decorah marked the fifth event on day four of his bus tour through Iowa, but the event at the historic hotel drew in several non-supporters willing to confront the Texas governor about controversial topics such as the ability of gays to serve openly in the military, a difference from his earlier event in New Hampton.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Perry and his evangelicals friends also dispute the scientific validity of evolution, the age of the earth, man’s contribution to global warming, or anything else that goes against their faith-based beliefs. They do, however, believe that an 800 year old man put 2 of every kind of animal including dinosaurs on a boat to float around after an invisible deity flooded the earth (hey, where’d all the water go?), original man popped into existence out of nothing, one or more dead people (dead for 3 days, mind you) came back to life, a guy survived being trapped in the belly of a whale, and the entire Universe was manufactured in 6 days about 6000 years ago, because they read it in a book.
Posted by: Steve From NH | December 19, 2011, 7:41 am 7:41 am
On this, I agree with Perry, however, like with anything else, mistakes have been made causing wells to become polluted.
Posted by: john locke | December 19, 2011, 8:06 am 8:06 am
It has been demonstrated in at least 1 location where fracking has contaminated groundwater.
In several areas of the Rockies where fracking is being used, the residents’ tap water is FLAMMABLE! They turn on the tap, hold a lighter to the water and POOF, the water catches fire.
But we are dealing with an individual whose only concern is protection of the oil companies while the middle class is destroyed. Perry has no thought process, preferring instead to rely his concept of religion.
Posted by: raggmopp | December 19, 2011, 8:08 am 8:08 am
Rick Perry is a fracking joke.
Posted by: SnappyPete | December 19, 2011, 8:08 am 8:08 am
When I have a question about science, I always turn to a right-wing anti-intellectual religious nut like Perry. Who better to preach about science?
Posted by: Bernard Webb | December 19, 2011, 8:14 am 8:14 am
We {Evangelicals}, and Perry, do not dispute everything you say. Nor to we believe everything you say, Steve.
Even though I believe that fracking may be responsible for a portion of the groundwater contamination, Perry is absolutely correct that there is not yet undisputed proof of the cause. I have lived on well water my entire life,so am qualified to say that wells do wear out and go bad.
The question is: Why do ABCCBSNBCCNN only produce negative stories about conservatives.
Posted by: BOisathug | December 19, 2011, 8:19 am 8:19 am
Perry should stop that kind of jokes, in these case the life of the middle class are the one affected most compared to first class. This issue is completely true and in most cases in areas with hard water, the water colour completely turns and are distasteable.
Posted by: Beatrice | December 19, 2011, 8:25 am 8:25 am
Now guys, you’re just imagining that your drinking water can erupt into fire . . . . we have more important issues. Like abortion. Which we know has gone on since 500 BC and yet we’re going to run on how we’re going to stop it.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | December 19, 2011, 8:32 am 8:32 am
Go and ask someone in the Permian Basin,if they drink their water from the tap.
Posted by: Steven | December 19, 2011, 8:46 am 8:46 am
Hey! I’m impressed that Perry knows what a pun is and actually used it in proper context!
My best friend lives in an area that has blown up with fracking all around him. He now has water that smells like sulphur and is undrinkable. He’ll gladly invite Not-So-Slick-Rick down to his ranch for some fresh iced tea.
Posted by: R E Decker | December 19, 2011, 8:48 am 8:48 am
If the man can sleep on night with his lies…and wants us to go into Mexico, well seems to me the republicans just like recycling GWB.
Posted by: emerald_sparks | December 19, 2011, 9:14 am 9:14 am
This guy is 100 years too late to run for president, or anything else.
Posted by: john west | December 19, 2011, 9:26 am 9:26 am
Perry is literally a fracking idiot…………
Posted by: Searambler | December 19, 2011, 9:39 am 9:39 am
The jury may be out on hydrofracking, but this country needs to lead the way regarding preservation of the world’s natural resources. The pollution of the earth is the highest in history, and its all man-made. We need to find alternate, safe methods of generating energy for locomotion, heating, etc. Oil production needs to be severely reduced, including this country’s dependence on domestic and foreign oil. Mr. Perry’s state has a high level of businesses and investors who depend on this country’s never ending need for oil; so, his mis-guided opinion of hydrofracking should be no surprise.
Posted by: rohnertpark1 | December 19, 2011, 10:49 am 10:49 am
My newest neighbor believes the fluoride from Prozac is what is causing the general insanity of Americans, and we were not even discussing the people who are truly deranged about Rick Perry.
Fracking-hysteria is the new Fluoride, when the fluoride was added to the water supply in the 1950′s to improve dental health. Yeah, I admit that I was surprised when my new neighbor transmuted an old fluoride conspiracy theory into the Prozac-version.
the insanity never stops….
Posted by: K2K | December 19, 2011, 11:12 am 11:12 am
This guy is GW BUSH incognito! Like a springtime flower…………….a blooming idiot! Ask the folks in TEXAS just how fantastic this self serving moron is??? I know several folks and their story doesn’t begin to match up to Perry’s claims!!!
Posted by: Dennis | December 19, 2011, 11:13 am 11:13 am
No-one with any sense should believe a word Perry says… the man is obviously dumber than a bag of rags! Perry needs to go frack himself!
Posted by: Brad | December 19, 2011, 11:30 am 11:30 am
BOisathug … The question is, why are conservatives defensive about alternate ideas? He was asked a question, and he stated his opinion – why is that “negative”? Maybe because moderates aren’t buying the BS anymore? Texas will be one of the first, of many “red states” to squeal when the “real” shortage comes (no, not oil) – FRESH CLEAN WATER. How about serving a pitcher of fracking field ground water, lets see if Perry takes a drink – or lets his family drink it.
Posted by: yeah.i.said.it | December 19, 2011, 11:46 am 11:46 am
This harkens back to the dark ages where anti-progress people who fear the end of the world whenever someone doesn’t understand something! This is the flat world crowd who fear global warming, fracking, deep water drilling and anything else that represents progress!
Posted by: Common _ Sense | December 19, 2011, 11:50 am 11:50 am
One should know that he did inact a law requiring companies to report what chemicals they are using for hydrofracking. This is aa interesting step for someone who does not believe there is a problem. I guess it is always better to cover your own arse in case you are wrong.
Posted by: Del | December 19, 2011, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
Who will pray for those who blasphemy the Holly Spirit?
Posted by: Bill Payne | December 19, 2011, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
yeah.i.said.it wrote:”How about serving a pitcher of fracking field ground water, lets see if Perry takes a drink – or lets his family drink it.”
.
First we want you show us that car of yours that runs on unicorn farts.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | December 19, 2011, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
Republicans have a natural aversion to science and all that it teaches us. Perhaps he should look further into the areas where polution HAS caused cancer because of the difracting that has been done. It’s not science that they’re against, it’s the fact that LOTS of MONEY$$$ can’t be made if they took the correct precautions to keep folks safe. Same reason why the right wants to rid our nation of MOST of our regulations!!! $$$$MONEY$$$$$
Posted by: demNme5 | December 19, 2011, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Republican leadership is so run by Big oil, Wall st. and health care insurance industry. These are the reason’s they hate Obama. I always thought that science is what we use to prove or disprove reality
Reckless behavior is when things go really bad, look no further then Alaska or the gulf. The pipeline is a joke . None of this Diesel Oil is to be used in the USA, therefore No tax to be paid. Really sad to see lie after lie by (R).
Posted by: Bill Payne | December 19, 2011, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
I agree with Rohnertpark1: We do not know enough about hydrofracking and it does not hurt to take another look. We have these agencies to do this for us and we should listen to them or do away with them. Mr. Perry thinks we should do away with many agencies some he can’t remember but I say…pay attention. There is a lot of things we did in a hurry and it cost too much to fix or redo so let’s take our time and investigate. Big oil is pushing for this to make more money and like before, they have been known to cut corners so it is up to us to take a step back and make sure.
Posted by: talmag | December 19, 2011, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
Perry held firm to his claim, saying there is no scientific proof hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydrofracking, has contaminated groundwater, ———–HA HA HA!! Says the man who, by his own admission, reads NOTHING! Perry has NEVER read so much as ONE Study on the environmental impact of anything, per his own admission!!! Did you hear the interview he did where he said there was no climate change, and he was asked, have you read any reports about it? No. Did you read the Scientific American article about it? No. have you read ….on and on, all the data, all the reports, every one, no no no no no, he’s read NOTHING about it. Gee, imaging holding the opinion that you’re not convinced of something that you’ve taken no time to learn anything about?????go figure! amazing!
Posted by: GrannyNosBest | December 19, 2011, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm