Steyer and Bloomberg Diverge on Fracking

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today diverged from his ally in politically active environmentalism, Tom Steyer, on the volatile question of whether hydraulic fracturing of shale gas can safely help slow the march of climate change.

In a New York Times op-ed published today, Bloomberg and Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp staked out a middle ground on fracking that emphasizes "strong rules and enforcement" in order to mitigate legitimate local resistance to a fossil fuel extraction method that "is indeed lowering energy costs, creating new jobs, boosting domestic manufacturing and delivering some measurable environmental benefits."  In his own October column on the topic, Steyer called for tabling any discussion about fracking's emissions upside until oil and gas producers begin "paying their fair share" in taxes and royalties.

Steyer and Bloomberg Diverge on Fracking