News Release/For Immediate Release
3-3-13
Written and Submitted by: Annette McMichael/217-273-1000
Concerned Citizens to IL Rep. John Bradley: You Can’t Regulate Fracking!
Representative John Bradley was confronted by a group of concerned citizens from Rising Tide at a community event in Carbondale, IL on Saturday, March 2. Representative Bradley is the lead sponsor of HB 2615, a bill to regulate fracking in Illinois. Opposition to this bill is growing fast.
Rising Tide, Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment (SAFE) and other environmental groups support either a moratorium to allow for scientific study regarding health, safety and water issues or an outright ban. The bill is also coming under fire by many people in Southern Illinois for not allowing any local control.
According to Rising Tide’s Mike Durschmid, “Bradley’s bill includes ALEC pro-industry model language and talks about disclosure of the frack chemicals to be used. But, it also includes double speak about not having to disclose so called proprietary chemicals to the public. Why is the industry being so secretive, what are they trying to hide?”
Angie Viands, also of Rising Tide, states, “I’m worried because passage of this regulatory bill in Illinois will open the door to an industry that has a history of polluting our air and water and that innocent people will get sick. I think it will be nearly impossible for the state of Illinois to regulate this industry.”
Rising Tide is a 100% volunteer, grassroots network of groups and individuals who take direct action to confront the root causes of climate change.