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Public Hearing in White Co. Takes Up Fracking Permit Application

People
Food & Water Watch
Karen Fiorino testifying before the Illinois Department of Natural Resources about the increased seismicity where fracking waste is disposed. Both the frac well and the injection wells cited in Woolsey Energy's application are within the Wabash Fault zone

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources held a public hearing in White County about an application for a hydraulic fracturing operation.

Kansas-based Woolsey Operating Company is seeking a permit to drill a mile-deep well in White County, near Enfield.
Tabitha Tripp with Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment - or SAFE - says two Jackson County residents spoke out against the application.
 
"Both of them shared concerns about seismicity, plus inadequacies and insufficiencies in the application that was first submitted and the second supplemental application that was submitted there were still deficiencies which they spoke about."
 
The reported issues with Woolsey's original application included the lack of a well site safety plan to all area fire departments. The firm was also told to submit estimates on pressures that will be used to fracture the horizontal formation, statements on land reclamation after the well is produced, and a traffic management plan.

Tripp says SAFE wants the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to deny the permit. She the chances of that are probably slim.
 
"From the very beginning we've assumed that this is an uphill battle. We're going to pull out all the stops to insure the public health and safety of Illinois and the environment are protected."

IDNR says it has received a few thousand comments during the public comment period.

 

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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