An environmental advocacy group is holding a rally in Carbondale to raise awareness of the process known as "Fracking"
Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing our Environment or "SAFE" will hold its informational rally Tuesday on the Town Square in Carbondale. The group is promoting legislation that would require a two-year moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing. SAFE Spokesperson Lynn Waters says she hopes the rally will educate and enlighten as well as raise awareness: "the industry is starting to meet with legislators to propose regulations. We know the IDNR doesn't have the people or the money to enforce or monitor them... so regulation won't protect us."
The Mt Vernon based Illinois Oil and Gas Association is one of the agency's involved in the regulatory process for high volume hydraulic fracturing in Illinois. Brad Richards is the Oil and Gas Association's Executive Vice President. He says people have a right to protest, but his group believes the industry can be regulated to protect the environment: "If its folks that want to throw out a lot of misinformation and pursue a ban on high volume hydraulic fracturing, obviously we don't support that. If on the other hand its folks that say there needs to be additional safeguards, well we're sitting down at the table."
Richards says to his knowledge there is no high volume hydraulic fracturing currently underway in the state. However, he says there has been a permit issued for Wayne County. The SAFE rally takes place Tuesday at 5pm on Carbondale's town square. An informational session follows at 6pm at the Carbondale Civic Center.
