A group of House Republicans are calling for a vote on a bi-partisan fracing agreement currently stuck in the Rules Committee.
House Bill 2615establishes the permit process, property owner notification, defines prevention standards and public input timelines. State Representative Mike Bost of Murphysboro Tuesday joined other GOP lawmakers in calling for the measure to be released from the Rules Committee for prompt consideration by the full House. He says expanding the fracing industry in Illinois will create more jobs and grow the economy.
According to an Illinois Chamber Foundation study, new natural gas production in Illinois could create anywhere from one to 47,000 jobs. The study concluded fracing in Illinois, under modest assumptions, would be a significant creator of new jobs translating into billions of dollars in economic impact for the state.
Those opposed to fracing cite environmental concerns including the impact on ground water and the availability of fresh water in the quantities needed for high volume hydraulic fracturing which can use millions of gallons of water during a single fracturing process. Most of the Hydraulic fracturing is expected to take place in a 17-county area in the New Albany Shale area of southern and southeastern Illinois. The Mt. Vernon based Illinois Oil and Gas Association says more than 500,000 acres have already been leased in the region with more than $200,000,000 invested in those mineral rights.
The Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club says it's already legal in Illinois and without regulation. That's why it agreed to a deal with business leaders on legislation it says would strictly control fracing. Others - like Carbondale Attorney Rich Whitney with the group Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment - say that was a sell-out: “The problems is so much of the focus went to that and trying to compromise with the industry people, they gave up half a loaf before they even started the fight… and it's our view you have to start by demanding the whole loaf. Right? If you fight for the whole loaf, you may end up with half a loaf. But if you start out fighting for half a loaf, you end up with crumbs."
Whitney says problems with the proposed regulations range from allowing fracing too close to lakes and water wells to stripping municipalities of control over the drilling. Whitney says Illinois should put a moratorium on fracking, so there's time to study the potential consequences.
