Up North Progressive
Politics and commentary for Northern MichiganMichigan Board of State Canvassers Will Hear Fracking Ban Petition Language On April 14
Saturday , 11, April 2015 Environment 2 Comments
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers revised their agenda for Tuesday, April 14, to include approval of petition language for a new ballot initiative to ban fracking in the state of Michigan. The Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan will present language in Lansing, Michigan, at 10:30 a.m. in the Austin Building. If approved and 252,523 signatures are collected by June 1, 2016, the ballot measure will appear on the 2016 general election ballot.
The petition language addresses hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as well as processing, storing and disposing of the toxic chemical byproduct anywhere in the state of Michigan. The Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan formed in 2012 as a political campaign to put a ban fracking ballot initiative up to a vote in the 2014 midterm election. They collected 70,000 signatures.
Fracking in the United States is extremely controversial as the chemicals that go into the fluid used to extract oil and gas are considered a “trade secret” and therefore protected from EPA regulations. There is now proof that storing spent fracking fluid underground causes earthquakes. Concerns that the chemicals in fracking fluid are toxic and that the earthquakes could release toxic chemicals, contaminating ground water, lakes, and streams are legitimate.
On May 4, 2015, the Michigan DNR will hold another oil and gas lease auction for 130,000 acres of public and privately owned land throughout Michigan, most of the counties listed are in Northern Michigan, and the lease will allow energy companies to frack that land for 5 years. It’s important for this proposal to appear on the 2016 ballot. Anyone wishing to address the board about this issue on April 14 is welcome to do so. Requests for a three-minute allotment to address the board must submit a written request before the meeting begins. To get involved, volunteer, or learn more, you can visit the committee’s website.
Wendy Quennevville says: So if they approve Fracking in Michigan, they have to figure out what to do with the toxic by-products. If you were in another state would you want to hear that your state is going to accept the toxic by-products from Michigan?! Why bother? You’re going to be allowing this Fracking Process to destroy the land and make the water undrinkable. And how about the wonderful smell that comes up out of the lakes and ground. But noone in Michigan wants to fish or go swimming in their local lake or ponds. What about the farmers and what’s going to happen to their land and animals who are on the land and drinking the water. Families who drank well water from their land…well they’ll just have to have bottled water brought in. Laundry…what’s a little sulphur smell on your clothes?!
But the sad thing is that there’s big MONEY in Fracking. I haven’t heard yet of anyone being able to stop it from happening in their state. Of course, they’d probably want to keep the “How To Stop Fracking From Happening In Your State” a bit HUSHed.
Good Luck, Michigan. I’ll be praying for all of you and your victory against Fracking.
Wendy Quenneville
-
Up North Progressive says:
One thing that could put an end to fracking, and in some states already impacting fracking is lower oil prices. We’re not hearing about layoffs with the smaller oil companies due to the price of oil not making it profitable.