What’s the big fracking deal?

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a process in which natural gas is extracted by injecting a highly-pressurized combination of water, chemicals and sand into shale rock layers. Fracking can create cracks in the rocks or widen existing cracks allowing methane to escape.

Fracking, which many are concerned can harm the environment and contaminate our groundwater supply, is now a regulated activity in Illinois. The Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act, Senate Bill 1715, was signed into law on June 17, making Illinois the only state to require water testing before and after fracking operations. It also makes Illinois the first state to require chemical disclosures pre- and post-fracking. 

The bill was sponsored by local State Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-52, and State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-103. These are the same legislators who opposed an idea to dump PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, known carcinogens and cause of other adverse health effects, into the Mahomet Aquifer earlier in May.

While some are concerned about the environmental harms fracking can elicit, others believe that fracking can bring more revenue and jobs to the state. 

Other positive aspects of the new law include presumed liability for companies engaged in fracking to prove water contaminations were not caused by their activities and various opportunities for the public to participate in the process of granting fracking permits.

However, the law does not ban fracking outright, as some organizations, such as Illinois People’s Action and Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment, had wanted.

Assuming that fracking would have been made legal in Illinois at some point in the future, state lawmakers headed in the right direction by implementing strong restrictions. Already, more than 20 states have areas of active fracking, and that’s excluding neighboring states that may be affected, too. 

Like medical marijuana and concealed carry legislations, the state made sure to create a comprehensive regulatory plan to ensure that fracking is being carefully handled and follows set standards. 

However, there are concerns to be had about the interests of the lawmakers who pushed for the bill to be passed. Rather than attempting to stop fracking in Illinois for environmental reasons, lawmakers went ahead and tried to tame the situation they believed to be inevitable. 

There is no question the economically depressed southern Illinois region stands to benefit from the thousands of jobs fracking could create, as do the politicians who support the fracking industry’s entrance.  

However, aside from monetary reasons and the jobs the industry could create, fracking can cause groundwater contamination through chemicals used in the fracking process. Illinois alone has had documented cases of water contamination, sudden explosions from oil wells, residents who were pressured into signing leases and residents who have experienced air quality issues and constant traffic. 

Of particular concern in east-central Illinois is the possibility of contamination of the Mahomet Aquifer, the sole source of water for Champaign, Urbana and many other east-central communities.

While the state should be commended for their heavy regulations on fracking, we hope Illinois lawmakers weren’t blinded by prospective political gains along the way. And we hope that environmental degradation and the quality of life for those living near fracking areas are considered above creating jobs and making money. 

Because where fracking is meant to benefit the country as a whole, it’s also hurting individuals and their respective communities.