Wayne County passes anti-fracking resolution

The Wayne County Commission has adopted a resolution that calls for statewide and federal bans on natural gas fracking and urges Michigan’s Congressional delegation to support increased oversight of oil and gas production.

In a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Dianne Webb, the board stated:

WHEREAS, the hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) for natural gas involves the use of chemicals and hazardous materials during construction, drilling, hydraulic fracturing, gas production, delivery and well maintenance; and

WHEREAS, the chemical constituents injected during hydraulic fracturing have documented adverse health effects and/or adverse environmental impacts; and

WHEREAS, there have been more than a 1,000 documented cases of water contamination near fracking sites as some people residing near these sites can now light their drinking water on fire, as it produces a liquid waste product so toxic and concentrated it is extremely difficult to dispose of safely; and

WHEREAS, shale gas fracking poses unacceptable risks to the American public and a danger to local economies as drilling jobs are not always filled by locals and farmers fall vulnerable to industrial pollutants that threaten livestock, crops and farmland; and

WHEREAS, the passing of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and over objections of health care, scientific, environmental and conservation communities, regulation of hydraulic fracturing fluids under the safe drinking water Act by the Environmental protection Agency was exempted and allowed oil and gas companies to process these substances without federal oversight; and

WHEREAS, there are no requirements on oil and gas companies to disclose publicly chemical formulas of hydraulic fracturing fluids so information may be distributed for health and safety precautions; and

WHEREAS, the Bringing Reductions to Energy’s Airborne Toxic Health Effects Act (BREATHE Act) is currently pending in Congress and would repeal the exception to the Clean Air Act for aggregation of emissions from oil and gas development sources; the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness Chemicals Act (FRAC Act) is currently pending in Congress and would repeal the frackng exemption to the Safe Drinking Water Act and require disclosure of chemicals used in fracking; and

Now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, on this 22nd day in September 2011, the Wayne County Commission fully supports a statewide and national ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, and calls on our State Representatives, Michigan Congressional delegation and United States Senators to ban fracking and co-sponsor the FRAC Act H.R. 1084/S. B. 587 and BREATH Act, H.R. 1204; to safeguard our citizens from harmful effects and to preserve our environment for generations to come.

Lynna Kaucheck of Food & Water Watch celebrated the commission’s action.

“Today, Wayne County sent a strong message indicating that a ban on fracking is necessary to protect public health and preserve Michigan’s natural resources,” she said. “Michigan sits in the middle of 20 percent of the world’s available fresh water. That means we have a distinct responsibility to protect this vital natural resource. The time to ban fracking in Michigan is now.”