Fracking Intrigue In The Illinois General Assembly
By JoshMogerman in News on Jun 3, 2012 8:30PM
While all eyes were on the General Assembly’s end of session pension reform debate (and the accompanying hysterics), there was interesting movement on new rules governing the controversial natural gas extraction method of fracking in Illinois. The practice of injecting water, sand and chemicals (or, if you are Halliburton, diesel fuel) at high pressure to release oil and natural gas from shale formations has created an energy boom all over the U.S. A controversial plan to mine for sand outside of Starved Rock State Park had been the only flareup associated with fracking in these parts until a rush of energy companies began buying up leases in southern portions of the state, signaling that fracking could start in Illinois quickly.
With only a few hours left in the legislative session, House Speaker Michael Madigan floated an amendment to a fracking bill already being considered that would have put a moratorium on fracking in Illinois while an outside panel helped to develop rules to balance industry needs with growing environmental concerns. The amendment cleared the House Committee on the Environment and Public Health, but did not make its way to the floor of the House for a full vote. Environmental groups are already calling for the issue to be considered during a summer overtime session that most General Assembly watchers expect to address the failed pension reform issue.
The end of session action and fizzle came after some intensive back and forth over language being negotiated in the House, which the Trib’s editorial board took umbrage with over high tax rate on drillers, while agreeing that strong environmental safeguards should be required. But why all the hubbub? Progress Illinois has a good overview of the concerns associated with fracking, which largely revolve around water pollution both at the surface and in underground aquifers (as an aside, the piece includes quotes from Benjamin Grumbles who Stephen Colbert once noted could be a “cartoon goat“). Since the state has no rules governing fracking on the books, there is no doubt Illinois is heading for a fracking freakout. We will be watching it all the way.