2-21-13
The industry-promoted fracking bill has just been released in Springfield:
Synopsis and co-signers:
Full text:
Although Representative Bradley continues to claim that all sides were represented when negotiating the bill, I can assure you that residents of Southern Illinois concerned about the safety and water use issues of fracking were not consulted. SAFE (Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing our Environment) will be writing a position statement regarding the inadequacies of HB2615, but we can give a few comments regarding the regulatory bill HB2615 versus SB1418, which places a moratorium on high-volume fracking in Illinois with a 2-year science-based investigative task force to study the issue.
Writing a regulatory bill based on “best practices” from states where large-scale water, air, and soil contamination is taking place in association with high-volume fracking activities, and where residents are experiencing health effects in association with exposure to the chemicals and substances associated with fracking, does not make sense for the people of Illinois. The only reasonable, common sense course of action is to carefully study the impacts of high-volume fracking on water, air, and soil resources, health of residents, plus various other concerns, before any potential regulatory scheme is even considered.
Regarding the issue of local control, HB2615 does not give authority to local units of government such as counties and townships, where much of the fracking will take place.. This is deeply concerning not only as a matter of basic democracy, but also as the completely practical matter of residents of Illinois not being able to protect their homes and families from exposure to the dangers of fracking.
For more information contact:
Annette McMichael/media@dontfractureillinois.net/217-273-1000