TRENTON — Jones County plans to join the fracking opposition.
Neighboring Onslow County recently sent the local Board of Commissioners a request to support its efforts to oppose Senate Bill 76 (Domestic Energy Jobs Act), which proposes to lift the state’s February ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
The fluid injection process is meant to fracture underground rocks to release their natural gas, which is subsequently used as a way to develop and explore natural energy resources.
Jones County commissioners did not officially approve their support during last week’s board meeting, but County Manager Franky Howard will draft a concise resolution outlining the county’s position.
He said the language will make sure “it’s clear that we are supportive of the fracking and the energy exploration efforts, but we don’t want to pollute the aquifer that … the eastern part of the state relies on for our drinking water.”
Some benefits of fracking include oil and gas management exploration and the development of modern energy programs by the Mining and Energy Commission. Last year under Senate Bill 820, North Carolina prohibited the issuing of fracking permits, which SB76 will change in 2015 if it becomes a law.
The bill passed to the House on a 38-10 vote in February, and the current law prohibits discharging waste into underground water via natural gas wells.
In a position statement on the bill from area agencies — including Onslow County and Camp Lejeune — to Jones County, concerns were addressed about the dangers of subsurface injection of hazardous wastes.
The resolution attached to the statement expressed worry about how injections are inappropriate, based on the state’s geographic location, and the damage such procedures have led to, such as tremors and contamination.
According to dangersoffracking.com, more than 40,000 gallons of chemicals are used per fracturing. There are more than 600 chemicals in fracking fluid, including lead, uranium and hydrochloric acid. The site claimed methane concentrations are 17 times higher near drinking water wells close to fracking sites, threatening the safety of drinking water.
“That’s the concern Camp Lejeune has,” Howard said. “(If it passed), I guess we have to rely on the state to be monitoring this process and making sure that they’re not polluting our drinking water system.”
While area groups are not opposing the benefits of SB76, they disagree with the fracking injection ban lift.
Howard’s resolution will be brought before the Jones County board on May 20.
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
Facts about hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
Hydraulic fracturing is the injection of drilling fluid into the ground through wells at high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release the natural gas inside of them.
- There are 500,000 active natural gas wells in the United States
- It takes 1 to 8 million gallons of water to complete a fracking job
- There are 40,000 gallons of chemicals used per fracking
- There are 72 trillion gallons of water and 3,603 gallons of chemicals needed per gas well for current fracking jobs
- Methane concentrations are 17 times higher in drinking water wells near fracking sites
Source: dangersoffracking.com