Here in Washington, DC, the Environmental Protection Agency - EPA - has reversed course on fracking.

Inititally, the agency had concluded in a draft report that released last year that fracking had no "widespread, systemic impact" on drinking water.

That conclusion outraged environmentalists as well factions of scientists within the EPA itself.

In a final report released last Tuesday, however, the EPA reached a different conclusion.

It now says that fracking DOES contaminate drinking water - although it still says that a lack of data makes a 100 percent definitive answer impossible.

Like President Obama's announcement yesterday of a permanent ban on drilling in the Arctic and along the Atlantic Seaboard - the EPA's new report might be the last piece of good environmental news for a long - long time.

Donald Trump's choice for EPA director - Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt - is a close ally of the fossil fuel industry and has received hundreds of thousands in campaign donations from big oil.

But with things looking as dire as they do - could the EPA have taken an even bolder stance on fracking?

-Thom

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10:30pm... How Trump Could Bring on the Crash of 2016 (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

Community Square

"Obama Should Reschedule Marijuana Now"
Posted by DdC.

"Perhaps Not a Carpenter – Will a Real Estate Scammer do? A Proud Tale of a Xnny Xmas past..?"
Posted by Gibbon.

"Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb Trump Boys: Canned Hunts, Gift Tickets and Other Uppity Thievery"
Posted by PhilfromOhio.

"A Stinger to Use on Trump"
Posted by NotKansas.

To upload an image click on the "add new blog post" link over at the community.

Wednesday's Daily Stack

In for Thom today, Alex Lawson, Executive Director-Social Security Works

Hour One: The GOP's Coming Attacks on Medicare...
- Nancy Altman, Social Security Works/Social Security Works! Why Social Security Isn't Going Broke and How Expanding It Will Help Us All

Article: "Is Paul Ryan already eyeing Medicare cuts?" by Mike DeBonis.

Article: "Rep. Tom Price Reveals Republicans Eyeing Medicare Overhaul In 2017" by Lauren Fox.

Article: "GOP introduces plan to massively cut Social Security" by Ethan Wolff-Mann.

Article: "Achieving A “leninist” Strategy" by Stuart Butler and Peter Germanis.

Article: "Trump’s Pick For OMB Director Has Vowed To 'End Medicare As We Know It'" by Tierney Sneed.

Book: The Battle for Social Security: From FDR’s Vision to Bush’s Gamble by Nancy J. Altman.

Article: "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform" (Bowles-Simpson/Simpson-Bowles) by Wikipedia.

Article: "GOP outlines its Obamacare repeal plan" by MJ Lee.

Article: "Sam Johnson Unveils Plan to Permanently Save Social Security" by Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-03).

Article: "Full Interview: Maddow Grills Conway On Trump, Nukes, Flynn, Peter Thiel, Twitter, Martha Raddatz" by Ian Schwartz.

Quote: "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub" by Grover Norquist.

Article: "Nihilism" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Robber baron (industrialist)" by Wikipedia.

Petition: "America Wants to Expand Social Security" by Social Security Works.

Events: Jan. 15: "Democrats to Demand Trump Veto Changes to Medicare and Social Security" by Niels Lesniewski.

Site: greatagain.gov - The Presidential Transition.

Article: "Trump Tower" by Wikipedia.

Site: CREDO blog.

Article: "Pipeline rupture spews oil into creek 150 miles from Standing Rock" by AP.

Article: "The High-Risk Financing Behind the Dakota Access Pipeline: A Potential Stranded Asset in the Bakken Region of North Dakota" by Cathy Kunkel, Clark Williams-Derry.

Article: "Deutsche Bank to pay €6,8bn for its role in the 2008 meltdown" by NEOnline.

Book: Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud by David Dayen

Article: "Dick Durbin: Banks “Frankly Own The Place”" by Ryan Grim, 05/30/2009.

Site: The Tony Perkins Show.

Article: "Will Obama Declare Martial Law To Keep Trump Out Of The White House? Conspiracy Theorists Think So" by Juliana Rose Pignataro.

Article: "President Obama Creating An Anti-trump, Shadow Government, Author Ed Klein Claims" by Robert Jonathan.

Article: "UN votes to start negotiating treaty to ban nuclear weapons" by Ben Doherty, 28 October 2016.

Article: "Obama signs annual defense policy bill into law" by Rebecca Kheel.

Article: "Sen. Franken Leads Senate Resolution that Questions U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Modernization Plans" by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

Site: Peace Action.

Site: Global Zero.

Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET

Activist Nadine Bloch will be talking about The District 13 House, a new base in D.C. for protesting Donald Trump’s presidency.

Plus we'll be joined by Progressive Richard Eskow, Writer / Host-The Zero Hour (Radio)

And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"

And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...

Will Trump Be The Final Nail In FDR's New Deal?

Vote here!

How This Trump Appointment Will Shake Up Trade w/China

The Republican Approach To Healthcare Heartlessly Exposed

The Death of The Middle Class Explained In 1 Fact…

How Trump Could Nuke the Iran Deal

On Tuesday’s Big Picture, Thom speaks to Dr. Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council. They discuss Trump’s stance on the Iran Nuclear deal, and the geopolitical consequences of the U.S. backing out of the deal.

How the Alt-Right Helps ISIS

On Friday’s Big Picture, Thom talks to journalist and author Max Blumenthal, about Donald Trump’s foreign policy toward the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They also discuss how Trump and the alt-right could be helping terror groups, such as ISIS.

The GOP Approach To Healthcare Heartlessly Exposed

On Thursday’s Big Picture, Thom talks to Alan Tonelson about Trump’s appointment for leader of the White House National Trade Council, and what it means for trade between the U.S. and China.

Later in the show, Thom discusses the GOP’s plan to replace Obamacare and Obama dismantling an outdated Muslim registry, with Sam Sacks of the District Sentinel and Siraj Hashmi of Red Alert Politics.

Newt Gingrich Reveals The Republican Plan To Destroy Obama's Legacy!

Should Internet Access Be A Basic Right?

If You Want To Change The Democratic Party, Keep Trying!

What's The Republican Approach To Health Care?.. Tough Luck Buddy! (w/Guest: Carl Higbie)