County board revisits fracking issue

The issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was revisited at the most recent meeting of the Union County Board of Commissioners.

Fracking also is scheduled to be the topic of a program which is planned Friday night, March 1, in Carbondale.

The county commissioners met in regular session Friday morning, Feb. 8. The meeting was at the community center in Jonesboro.

Union County resident Tabitha Tripp was a guest at the meeting. Tripp has been working to promote awareness about fracking and is outspoken in her opposition to the process.

The county board last year passed a resolution in support of a moratorium on fracking.

Tripp asked the commissioners to continue to stand against fracking and to support local control over the process.

Concern has been voiced in past discussion about county government's lack of authority in governing the process.

The county board could again discuss the issue at a meeting which is set for 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at the community center in Jonesboro.

Legislation Proposed

The Illinois Coalition for a Moratorium on Fracking, ICMF, in early February announced the introduction of legislation in the Illinois General Assembly which proposes a moratorium on the process in the state.

Introduction of the legislation, SB1418, was announced by ICMF in conjunction with members of a group which includes Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment, SAFE.

SB1418 proposes a moratorium that will allow two years for a science-based investigative task force to look at current and ongoing studies about fracking.

Studies regarding health effects related to the proximity of people to high-volume fracturing would be one key area of study, ICMF stated.

SAFE attorney Penni Livingston said in a news release that "a moratorium on all fracking activity is needed to ensure that the dangers are properly identified and prevented."

Livingston said that a task force of "state and local organizational, governmental, environmental and industrial stakeholders is needed to investigate and determine environmental and economic issues and to make recommendations on technological and environmental standards."

Program Set in Carbondale

In related news, SAFE plans to present a program about fracking on Friday, March 1, in Carbondale.

The program is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Carbondale Civic Center.

The program will present information about the problems associated with fracking and what role communities can have in the decision-making process.

An explanation of SB1418 will also be covered.

The program will be followed by a social hour from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are not required to attend.