North Carolina Governor Vetoes Fracking Bill
Monday, July 2, 2012
According to The Carlotte Observer, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue, vetoed the state’s new fracking legislation on Sunday.
The bill would have allowed fracking inside the state’s borders.
Perdue said that she didn’t think the bill went far enough to protect the environment:
“I support energy policies that create jobs and lower costs for businesses and families,” Perdue said. “Our drinking water and the health and safety of North Carolina’s families are too important; we can’t put them in jeopardy by rushing to allow fracking without proper safeguards.”
In order to override the Gov.’s veto, the North Carolina House and Senate must vote with a three-fifths majority.
» Via: The Charlotte Observer › Perdue vetoes fracking bill; GOP accuses governor of ‘flip-flop’
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.