Melissa Ross
The fight over fracking is heating up again in Florida.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is an oil and gas drilling technique that involves pumping fluids and chemicals at high pressure deep underground to break up rock formations.
Last month, Democratic Sens. Darren Soto of Orlando and Dwight Bullard of Miami filed legislation that aims to ban fracking in Florida, citing potential environmental and health concerns.
In GOP-controlled Tallahassee, such a bill may seem like a nonstarter.
However, the Washington, D.C.-based Food and Water Watch tells FloridaPolitics.com that 45 municipalities across Florida have passed resolutions or ordinances supporting a fracking ban (St. Johns County being the latest).
“Florida is reviewing about two dozen fracking applications right now that could lead to hundreds of wells statewide,” spokesman Jorge Aguilar said.
The energy industry says fracking bans threaten America’s energy independence, and Florida jobs.
Consumer Energy Alliance Florida Executive Director Kevin Doyle released this prepared statement in reaction to Soto’s proposal:
It is unfortunate that Senator Soto has chosen to move the clock backwards on energy economic and security policy by introducing legislation banning hydraulic fracturing in Florida. Hydraulic fracturing has received much national attention as the technology that has enabled a resurgence in American oil and natural gas production, as well as manufacturing, chemicals, plastics, agriculture and almost every other facet of our lives.
Looking at the national picture, the jury still seems to be out on the long-term effects of fracking on communities’ land, water, and overall health.
That said, the Academy-award nominated 2010 documentary Gasland did a lot to increase the awareness level — and the controversy — around this new method of energy production.
