The Illinois Department of Natural Resources plans to release rules governing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) this Friday, August 29. SAFE, Illinois People’s Action, and other members of Fair Economy Illinois are eager to see strong rules that protect the health of Illinoisans and preserve the quality of our air, water and other natural resources.
“On January 19th, Governor Quinn’s staff made a public commitment that the Governor would refuse to issue fracking permits until the Department of Natural Resources made specific changes to strengthen the thirty weakest proposed fracking rules as outlined by our coalition. If the latest draft of IDNR rules fails to address these issues, our coalition expects that Gov. Quinn will fulfill his pledge to withhold fracking permits,” said Annette McMichael of Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing our Environment (SAFE).
“If the IDNR releases rules that don’t fix the Dirty Thirty, they will have chosen to put corporate profits before the health and safety of Illinois citizens,” said Dylan Amlin, of Fair Economy Illinois.
The weakest of the rules proposed in IDNR’s initial draft, known as the Dirty Thirty, leave citizens and our natural resources vulnerable to disaster. A few examples of the Dirty Thirty include:
- Wastewater: The rules allow toxic, radioactive, carcinogenic wastewater to be stored in open-air pits.
- Radioactivity: Even though Illinois shale has unusually high radioactivity, the rules to not require that any fracking wastewater be tested.
- Seismicity: The rules allow up to four earthquakes of a 4.9 magnitude, even near the New Madrid or Wabash fault lines, before a company is required to shut down an injection well.
Fines for violating the rules are paltry: Fines start at a $50. The fine for the loss of human life – a mere $2,000.
SAFE, www.dontfractureillinois.net, focuses on educating Southern Illinois citizens about the dangers of fracking. Fair Economy Illinois is a statewide alliance that organizes urban, suburban and rural residents to ensure our Illinois’ economy and budget puts people first.