Press Releases: All

Media Statement: “While we applaud the Obama administration for seeking an increase in funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) fisheries’ Annual Stock Assessments, this budget still displays misplaced priorities.”

“President Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2013 delivers yet another blow to our nation’s critical drinking and clean water resources, and further undermines the EPA’s ability to ensure that all Americans have access to safe, clean, affordable water.

Press Release: Today activists protested one of several planned regional workshops by the American Petroleum Institute in Trenton, NJ, countering the oil and gas industry association’s event discussing the development of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) with a recommendation of their own: ban fracking entirely. Protestors handed media and passersby “swag bags” filled with information on the risks associated with fracking and staged an award ceremony for the Frackies.

“It’s awards season, and what better way to protest this elite gathering than with a riff off of another elite event—the Oscars,” said Jim Walsh, Eastern Region Director of Food & Water Watch. “If there were an award for destroying rural communities and endangering drinking water supplies, it would certainly go to the American Petroleum Institute, which uses its clout to spread disinformation about the dirty, polluting practice.”

The event took place near the New Jersey Statehouse, where tomorrow the Senate Environment Committee is expected to vote on a bill to permanently ban fracking in New Jersey before the temporary moratorium is lifted in January 2013.

Shale gas has no place in Bulgaria’s sustainable energy portfolio, especially because the Bulgarian Parliament recently voted 166 to six to suspend shale gas exploration. Secretary of State Clinton should respect the outcomes of Bulgaria’s democratic processes, even when they go against the interests of American oil and gas companies.

Press Release: Today consumer groups Food & Water Watch, Consumers Union, and the Center for Food Safety submitted a formal petition asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to classify and evaluate AquaBounty’s “AquAdvantage” genetically engineered (GE) salmon and all of its components as a food additive. The groups’ legal petition contends that the current agency review process that treats GE salmon only as a new animal drug is insufficient to protect public health, and that the agency is required by law to review the GE salmon under what should be a more rigorous process for any novel substance added to food.

“The data FDA has on GE salmon, which were supplied by Aquabounty, are incomplete, biased, and cannot be relied upon to show that the GE salmon is safe to consume,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “Aquabounty’s own study showed that GE salmon may contain increased levels of IGF-1, a hormone that helps accelerate the growth of the transgenic fish and is linked to breast, colon, prostate, and lung cancer.”

The groups warn that the potential health risks of GE salmon are no different from a number of food additives the FDA has banned in the past, including those that are cancer causing.

Media Statement: Washington, D.C.—“Today, the New England Fishery Management Council takes up a nearly impossible task. Faced with a new, abysmal stock assessment for cod, the Council will be weighing their obligation to preserve fish populations for the future against their responsibilities of managing a healthy fishing industry. Unfortunately, the Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have spent the last few years painting themselves into a corner. By initiating a catch shares system in New England, the Council and NMFS have restricted their flexibility to mitigate disasters like the dramatic decline of the cod population.

“Early estimates suggest that the allotment of cod for commercial fishermen in 2012 could be 90 percent lower than the catch allowed in 2010. This is likely to result in a 25 percent decline in income for groundfishermen, with fishermen in New Hampshire and Maine hit even harder (91 percent and 54 percent, respectively). The ill-conceived catch share program has already created economic havoc by consolidating the industry. In 2010, 7.6 percent of the fleet accounted for 50 percent of all groundfish revenues. 165 crew jobs were lost in the first year of catch share implementation and 73 boats left the fishery.

“The president’s energy vision is troubling for our water resources. His speech touted the development of so-called ‘clean energy,’ but it may as well have been written by the oil and gas industry. His plan to open up more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources and to support shale gas development trades clean water for energy.

“President Obama should not confuse offshore oil and onshore shale gas development for clean energy. Although gas companies should absolutely be made to disclose the chemicals they use simply disclosing chemicals does not prevent shale gas development from harming our essential water resources. To keep water safe and rural communities strong, we should ban fracking.

Media Statement: “Yesterday’s announcement by the EPA that it will provide families in Dimock, Pa. who believe their water has been contaminated by nearby fracking activity a safe supply of water is a enormous victory for the residents affected, and the millions of Americans concerned about the public health and environmental threats posed by shale gas development.

Press Release: Today, the Secretary of Agriculture and Undersecretary for Food Safety announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to proceed with a program that would privatize the inspection of poultry products in the United States. Food & Water Watch vehemently opposes this plan and any other attempts to privatize food safety functions that are the responsibility of the federal government.