What is Fracking?
Faith in Place is proposing and pushing two bills this year to regulate Hydraulic Fracturing in Illinois. These bills are sponsored by Illinois Senator Michael Frerichs (SB3280) and Illinois Representative Naomi Jakobsson (HB3897). Hydraulic Fracturing (aka "fracking") is a method used to pump sand, water, and chemicals horizontally into a deep underground shale layer, causing pockets of natural gas in the shale to be accessed and pumped to the surface.
Because of the lax regulation on shale gas extraction, nasty and health hazardous chemicals have found their way into drinking water of the homeowners who have leased their land for fracking. A December 2011 EPA report has shown that fracking contaminated the aquifers of many private wells in Pavillion, Wyoming.
Our partner congregations at Faith in Place believe in a moral obligation to pass strong regulations in order to protect our drinking water. Land is currently being leased in southern Illinois to do fracking, and currently there are no regulations in place on this process in Illinois. We need your help to pass these two bills and quickly! The bills make sure the Illinois DNR is ready to adequately regulate fracking in Illinois, and they provide strong safeguards to protect our drinking water.
We’ve got lots of ways you can take action on fracking in Illinois...
Take Action
CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES:
Contact your state representative and ask them to support SB 3280.
SIGN UP FOR RAPID RESPONSE EMAILS
Would you like more information or become involved in environmental advocacy?
Then sign up for our Rapid Response email.
You’ll get emails specifying when and how to urge your legislators to act on bills.
SIGN AND SEND POSTCARDS
You can have your congregation sign pre-made postcards urging your state legislators to
support SB SB 3280. You’ll then send them to our central Illinois office, and Brian will
hand-deliver them in Springfield.
Request postcards from Brian
Download Postcard Instructions
ATTEND SPRINGFIELD ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBY DAY
On March 29th, we’re heading to Springfield to lobby on environmental bills. We’ve made it extra-easy this year: come the night before, OR take a charter bus down on Wednesday morning. We’ll train and feed you on the way there so you can hit the ground lobbying.
Overnighters: call the Mansion View Inn & Suites (1-800-252-1083) to reserve a room under the Illinois Environmental Council Block. They have two double beds, and cost $78. Rooms will be released on March 22nd, so reserve one before then. Register for Environmental Lobby Day
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