To: The Illinois State House, The Illinois State Senate, and Governor J.B. Pritzker

Don’t Frack Illinois! We Need a Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing with a Science-Based Investiga...

Don’t Frack Illinois! We Need a Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing with a Science-Based Investigative Task Force!

High volume, high pressure, horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is an inherently unsafe method of drilling for natural gas and oil. It involves the injection of water, chemicals and sand under high pressure to fracture underground shale. Documented risks include contaminated drinking and groundwater, waste water that contains radioactive elements, and gas seepage into homes. Significant amounts of methane, a potent green house gas, have been found to leak from up to 50% of the wells, over time, contributing greatly to global warming.

Fracking threatens the health of central and southern Illinoisans, and their water, land, air, livestock, wildlife, national forests and important industries such as tourism and farming. The health of the workers at the rig sites is threatened by the chemicals and silica used in the fracking process. Fracking threatens our rural roads with sustained heavy truck traffic, increasing greatly the costs for road repair on local communities.

Hydraulic fracturing will use many millions of gallons of our fresh water and create toxic chemical-laden waste water. In a drought-ridden state, it is immoral to consider this kind of trade with our most precious resource.

Regulations will not work for the uncontrollable process of fracking. Our state will need an army of regulators at the poorly funded IL Dept of Natural Resources to enforce any regulations, and without enforcement, regulations are worthless.

The road to our energy independence is not lined with drilling rigs! Instead it is lined with wind mills and solar arrays. Fracking is a dangerous distraction from the green energy future that we deserve and that we must fund and build.

A ban on fracking would be the safest long-term approach to protect the health and well-being of Illinois residents, our environment and the future of our state, but a moratorium with a science-based investigative task force and public hearings are reasonable first steps.

We ask that you act quickly to pass this moratorium on fracking with a science-based investigative task force to study this process carefully before you make any decisions that will adversely affect Illinoisans and their families!

Why is this important?

Fracking threatens the health of central and southern Illinoisans, and their water, land, air, livestock, wildlife, national forests and important industries such as tourism and farming.