Can you sign on to the letter?/Can you join us in visiting the office on Nov. 20?

Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 Rep. John Sarbanes 600 Baltimore Ave. Suite 303 Baltimore, MD 21204 November 20, 2013 Dear Representative Sarbanes: Members of the Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore are voters and supporters of Progressive Democrats of America. We are deeply concerned about “Fracking,” i.e. extracting methane gas and petroleum by injecting chemical-laced water into the ground at high pressure to fracture rock. This practice endangers communities, squanders precious drinking water supplies, and otherwise directly imperils public health and safety. Fracking compounds and the resulting wastewater contain highly toxic materials—including radioactives and carcinogens. The process itself and the use of carbon fuels increase greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating climate change and increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme weather: “super storms,” hurricanes, droughts, and floods. It’s hard to conceive of a more inherently irresponsible practice. Therefore, we strongly urge you to support and cosponsor the legislation listed below if you have yet to do so. S. 1135 The FRAC Act aka Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to repeal a certain exemption for hydraulic fracturing. H.R. 1175 The FRESHER Act aka Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study re: runoff from oil and gas operations. H.R. 1154 The BREATHE Act aka Bringing Reductions to Energy's Airborne Toxic Health Effects Act, To amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the exemption for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas sources. H.R. 2825 The CLEANER Act aka Closing Loopholes and Ending Arbitrary and Needless Evasion of Regulations Act, to require regulation of wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil, natural gas. We thank you for your consideration regarding this critically important legislation, and look forward to ongoing discussion and engagement with you about these and other issues. Finally, we are seeking an end to the use of killer drone strikes, which we believe to be illegal and unconstitutional. We ask you to speak out against this assassination program, which ignores any veneer of due process. Consider as well a request for the full, unclassified release of information surrounding the administration’s drone policy. Rep. Barbara Lee, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Peace and Security Task Force, has reminded the president that he has full rein to protect the United States as Commander in Chief, but Congress has a vital oversight role in this issue. We look forward to your response. And when you are ready, we would like to meet with you, preferably in Baltimore. But if necessary, we will travel to your D.C. office. Thank you for your time and attention. Peace, Max Obuszewski, on behalf of Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore/Fund Our Communities