My letter to Nancy Pelosi after watching the documentary, "Gasland".

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

I just finished watching the documentary, "Gasland" and was appalled to learn that hydro-fraction wells drilled by the Natural Gas Industry are exempted from the Clean Water Act.

This practice is doing incredible harm being to the natural environment and people across many states. The stories of what has been happening near these drill sites made my wife sad and angry. Sad for the people being killed and sickened by this practice and angry that our government turns a blind eye. It is yet another example of how big business is able to control the laws congress passes to the detriment of who you are supposed to serve.

I am a life-long Democrat, and a proud Californian. But in the last few years, I have been saddened by story after story of how politics is dominated by the interests of big business. The BP disaster is the most visible example but certainly not the only one. President Obama and the democratic-led Congress had an opportunity to clean up the MMS when he came into power and did nothing. BP and the Gulf disaster have happened. Something must be done. I'm convinced that if Republicans and Democrats across the country knew what was happening in their own backyards, they would act to stop these toxic acts.

Please, do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Andrew Proehl