Get cracking on ‘fracking’

Or, doing that could lead to polluted water supplies, divert water from agricultural uses, and even risk triggering earthquakes.

Proponents of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, adhere to the former and want the state to adopt uniform standards that will promote the practice in Illinois.

Opponents believe the latter is a more likely outcome. They are calling for a statewide moratorium on fracking until a task force can be appointed to study the issue.

It will be up to the General Assembly to decide what the state does.

“All of the stakeholders are at the table,” said Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, who is spearheading talks on a fracking bill in the House. “We’ve been negotiating in earnest for the last few weeks. We’ve made significant progress.”

Bradley said he believes fracking will benefit the state, both by bringing in new revenue and because “it will allow for creation of much-needed jobs.”

That could be particularly true for far southern parts of the state, which have been hit hard by job losses for decades. The New Albany shale formation, the key target of fracking operations, runs though southeastern Illinois and parts of Indiana and Kentucky.

A study backed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce said as many as 45,000 jobs could be created if Illinois adopts clear standards for fracking. The industry does not want different regulations enacted by local communities.

“I think there is general agreement that some sort of regulatory framework is beneficial,” said Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, who has pushed a fracking bill for 2 years.

“The industry is also aware that if there are no regulations in place, there might be a patchwork of individual [regulations] springing up, and that they think that would be detrimental to its growth.”

“It requires huge investment,” Bradley said. “In order for the process to begin, I think there’s a desire that there be some certainty that it won’t be stopped at some point.”