Vermont Becomes First State to Ban Fracking
Vermont just became the first state to ban hydraulic fracking. Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the bill on Wednesday. In addition to fracking, the bill also bans importing and storing wastewaster related to fracking.
"This bill will ensure that we do not inject chemicals into groundwater in a desperate pursuit for energy," Shumlin told CNN. "The science behind fracking is "uncertain at best."
The bill passed partly because there is no fracking in Vermont. No one had planning to drill there in the future. Actually, some say Vermont may not have enough underground gas or shale rock deposits for fracking.
Could other states follow? In states where fracking is common, it will be much harder to pass a fracking ban.
But the new bill alone could be a sign that people across the nation are starting to worry more about fracking. With horizontal drilling becoming more common, some people want fracking to stop until they know for sure that it's not hurting our drinking water.
We've heard reports where people have thought their water was contaminated, but it's still unclear what the real risks are.
It will be interesting to see how other states respond to Vermont's new fracking ban.
Read more about the ban here.
Posted by Ariel Brouillard on May 24, 2012 at 12:43 PM