"Clinton Wants To End ‘Halliburton Loophole’ On Fracking, Adviser Says"

"Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton would push Congress to reverse a 2005 measure that exempts hydraulic fracturing from certain federal environmental standards, a top adviser said.

Ending what environmentalists call the “Halliburton loophole” would be the Democratic candidate’s first priority in regulating fracking, adviser Trevor Houser said.

'Congress stripped [the Environmental Protection Agency] of its authorities to protect communities under the Safe Drinking Water Act, something called the ‘Halliburton loophole,’ 'Houser said Wednesday at a Politico event coinciding with the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

'We give EPA, under our landmark environmental laws, the ability to protect communities from environmental threats,'he said. 'And there should not be a big exemption when it comes to hydraulic fracturing. So that’s our primary focus, on getting that loophole closed and reinstating that authority.'"

Timothy Cama reports for The Hill July 27, 2016.