<div dir="ltr"><b>Hmmm. Dianne is concerned.</b><br><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername"></b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:senator@feinstein.senate.gov">senator@feinstein.senate.gov</a>></span><br>
Date: Wed, Jun 4, 2014 at 5:27 AM<br>Subject: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message<br>To: <a href="mailto:storyteller2069@yahoo.com">storyteller2069@yahoo.com</a><br><br><br>
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<p><span><span style="font-weight:bold;font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">Dear </span><span style="font-size:14pt">Mr.
Brenneman</span><span style="font-size:14pt">:</span></span>
</p>
<p style="line-height:12pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">Thank
you for contacting me with your concerns about loosening restrictions on the export of liquefied natural
gas (LNG). I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome this opportunity to respond.</span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">I
understand that you have concerns regarding domestic hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and you feel
that loosened restrictions on LNG exports could increase fracking in the U.S. As you may know, fracking
is a technique used to stimulate oil and natural gas production by injecting water and chemicals underground
at high pressures to increase the flow of oil and gas resources. Like you, I am concerned that this
process could contaminate drinking water supplies, and I support regulating hydraulic fracturing under
the Safe Drinking Water Act. </span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">Currently,
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is precluded from regulating the hydraulic fracturing process
under the Safe Drinking Water Act because the Energy Policy Act of 2005 explicitly exempted hydraulic
fracturing operations related to oil, gas, or geothermal production from the Act's protections. I opposed
this bill when it came up for a vote.</span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">It
is because of my strong concerns about fracking that I became a cosponsor of the "Fracturing Responsibility
and Awareness of Chemicals Act" ("FRAC Act"; S. 1135), which was introduced by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA)
on June 11, </span><span style="font-size:14pt">2013. This bill would amend the Safe Drinking
Water Act to allow the EPA to regulate hydraulic fracturing and require the public disclosure of chemicals
and materials used in the fracking process. S. 1135 is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works, of which I am not a member. </span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">I
understand that you also have concerns about the "American Job Creation and Strategic Alliances LNG Act"
(S. 2083), which was introduced by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) on March 5, 2014. This bill would expedite
the application and approval process for the import and export of natural gas to World Trade Organization
(WTO) member countries. Under current law, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) must approve all imports
and exports of natural gas. For countries with which we do not have free trade agreements, DOE must
additionally determine whether these exports would be in the public's interest. S. 2083 would bypass
this approval process for all WTO member countries. S. 2083 is currently awaiting consideration by the
Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, of which I am not a member. </span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">You
may be interested to know that on May 8, 2014, I joined a letter to the President expressing support
for DOE's consideration of the public interest and impact on U.S. consumers and businesses before granting
approval for LNG exports to countries with which we do not have free trade agreements. A copy of this
letter is attached.</span></span>
</p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span> </span>
</p>
<p style="text-indent:36pt"><span><span style="font-size:14pt"></span><span style="font-size:14pt">Again,
thank you for taking the time to write. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact
my Washington, D.C. office at <a href="tel:%28202%29%20224-3841" value="+12022243841" target="_blank">(202) 224-3841</a>, or visit my website at </span><a style="text-decoration:none" href="http://www.feinstein.senate.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14pt;text-decoration:none underline">www.feinstein.senate.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:14pt">.
Best regards.</span></span>
</p></div>
<br>
<br>
<center>Sincerely yours,<br>
<br>
<br>
Dianne Feinstein<br>
United States Senator</center>
<br>
<p>Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the nation are available
at my website, <a href="http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/" target="_blank">feinstein.senate.gov</a>. And please visit
my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/Senatorfeinstein" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Senatorfeinstein" target="_blank">Facebook</a>
and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Senfeinstein" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for more ways to communicate with me.
</p></font></td>
</tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr"><h1 style="text-align:left"><span style="font-weight:normal"><font>"The
trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've
seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as
speaking out. There's no innocence. Either way, you're accountable.”</font></span>
<font><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6134.Arundhati_Roy" target="_blank">Arundhati Roy</a></font>
</h1><div>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>