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Oregon House passes 10-year fracking ban

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Tracy Loew, Statesman Journal

The Oregon House has passed a 10-year ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking…

…The process releases natural gas from coal seams.

Supporters say the state does not have sufficient regulations in place to ensure the environment is protected from the practice…

[According to Democrat sponsor Ken Helm] “If this industry comes to the state, we ought to be prepared with adequate rules to regulate the practice so it doesn’t contaminate groundwater”…

Industry officials say the practice has been used for more than 60 years and is safe…

The current version does not include any requirement for state agencies to undertake writing rules for fracking wells, but that still could happen, Helm said…

We Respond & Your Comments

We’re with ya all the way, Ken Baby. Why would we want Oregonians to benefit from a practice that’s saved natural gas consumers $200 a year between 2007 and 2013?

But why not tell the truth, Ken? You don’t want a 10 year ban. You want an eternal ban. That’s why your bill doesn’t ban fracking “until its environmental safety has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”

That’s why you didn’t include writing rules to ensure environmental safety.

Fess up, Kenny – you don’t want fracking any time, any place. And if your natural gas buying constituents in Beaverton have to cough up an extra $200 a year? Well, that’s just their sacrifice for your pet hobbyhorse, isn’t it?

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