State legislatures, governors, congressmen, senators, county officials, and academics continue to overwhelmingly stand with independent energy producers in opposing efforts in Congress to usurp the long-established state regulation of hydraulic fracturing, an imperative technique in delivering affordable, clean-burning natural gas to American consumers.

And now, other industries are voicing strong opposition to these efforts in Congress. Enter Sandman.

The Industrial Minerals Association – North America (IMA-NA), who represent the “interests of North American companies that mine or process minerals used throughout the manufacturing and agricultural industries” – including sand, in the case of fracking – recently penned a strongly worded letter opposing the DeGette-Casey anti-fracking legislation.

Here are key excerpts from the IMA-NA letter:

• “The Industrial Minerals Association – North America (IMA-NA) opposes S. 1215 and H.R. 2766, legislation to eliminate the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). These bills, which were introduced by Senator Robert Casey Jr. (D-PA) and Representative Dianna DeGette (D-CO), would impose significant burdens on the businesses that enable the development of domestic energy production through hydraulic fracturing, and disrupt the marketplace of those who supply materials in support of this vital industry. The bills do so without scientific justification.
• “The industrial minerals industry is committed to operating its businesses in a manner that protects the environment and public health, and that permits a continuing ‘social license’ to operate. 
• “We have a vested interest in the integrity of the hydraulic fracturing marketplace, and we therefore have taken an interest in the claims that the other components in the fluid could pose an environmental and public health risk by potential contamination of drinking water.
• “Hydraulic fracturing has been used to drill over one million wells during the past 50 years. During that time the process of hydraulic fracturing has been regulated by the states as part of their oil and gas regulatory programs. At the same time, there have been no verified incidents of water table contamination. The regulatory resources of the country should not be spent on issues where Federal research indicates no hazard, especially if a secondary result is the needless destruction of businesses that generate vital domestic energy, reduce energy costs, decrease dependence on foreign oil sources, employ thousands of people and contribute to an economy that remains unstable.”