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Lawmakers Push For Fracking Ban In Florida
January 25, 2017
Trying to end a debate about the possibility of fracking in Florida, a bipartisan group of lawmakers Tuesday backed a proposed ban on the controversial method of drilling for oil and natural gas.
“This bill is concise and straightforward: It bans fracking of all types in Florida,” said Sen. Dana Young, a Tampa Republican who filed the proposal (SB 442) on Tuesday.
The bill, which will be considered during the legislative session that starts March 7, comes after heavy debate during the 2016 session about a measure that would have created a regulatory framework for fracking in the state. The House passed the measure, which died in the Senate amid widespread opposition from environmentalists who argued it could open the door to fracking.
Young appeared at a news conference Tuesday with a coalition of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, and House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa. The group did not include top House Republican leaders.
Florida Petroleum Council Executive Director David Mica released a statement that said the proposed ban is out of step with consumers who see benefits from domestic energy production.
“The United States is the leading producer of oil, natural gas and refined product in the world, and the decades-old technique of hydraulic fracturing has led to lower energy costs for consumers and improvements in the environment,” Mica said in the statement. “Sen. Dana Young’s proposed ban could undermine the benefits that Florida families and consumers are seeing today.”
Oil and natural-gas drilling has taken place in parts of Northwest Florida and Southwest Florida for decades. But the possibility that drilling could involve fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, has spurred the legislative debate — similar to debates in other parts of the country where the method has become commonly used.
The method, in part, involves injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to create fractures in rock formations, allowing natural gas and oil to be released. While supporters say fracking increases production and holds down energy costs, opponents argue it threatens water supplies and can cause environmental damage.
During the news conference Tuesday, Young pointed to limestone formations in Florida and said fracking in the state “makes no sense.”
“Sometimes technology gets ahead of Mother Nature in a bad way,” said Sen. Gary Farmer, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who also took part in the news conference. “I think this is an example.”
Fracking became a key issue is some legislative campaigns last year, including in Young’s race for a Hillsborough County Senate seat and in Sen. Keith Perry’s race in a North Florida district. Perry, R-Gainesville, is co-introducing Young’s proposed ban. Both served in the House last year and voted for the regulatory bill.
Young and Latvala, who helped kill the 2016 bill, said lawmakers had differences of opinion about the potential effects of last year’s measure. But the lawmakers at Tuesday’s news conference said they want to end the debate about fracking with an outright ban.
“What we do today is not for us, but for the next generation,” Perry said. “This kind of legislation that’s protecting the natural environment that we all enjoy, and need to save for future generations, should be one of our top priorities as we go forward in this session.”
But Mica said Florida shouldn’t “move backwards when the gains of energy security are important for Florida families.”
“The technology has been proven safe, and Florida is realizing the economic and environmental benefits of its use,” he said.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Comments
13 Responses to “Lawmakers Push For Fracking Ban In Florida”
REGARDING:
“Uh, anybody seen the documentary about fracking, “Gas”, where they show flames coming out of water faucets?”
I didn’t but just to be technically correct, I don’t believe flame came out the faucet, rather water which had methane dissolved in it (like carbon dioxide in a Coke or air in our water after a main break and repair), which methane then ignited when lit by a flame. This happens naturally but was most likely caused by leakage from uncapped shallow formation fracking.
The gas is not toxic even though it is inflammable and can be explosive in the right concentrations.
There are places where hydraulic fracturing should not be done for this reason, including the fact that the idea is to capture the gas, not release it elsewhere.
David for hot and cold running water
REGARDING:
“Pretty sure there are no Limerock deposits down there where they’re fracking at, since most fracking takes place 2 – 3 miles deep!”
Actual fracking is fracturing or cracking of rock by high hydraulic pressure.
The fluid includes suspended silica sand to prop the fractures and keep them open so the fluids can flow.
This is done to otherwise impermeable shale, not limestone or dolomite.
Limestone and dolomitic rocks in the Sunniland formation in south Florida around 11,000′ to 12,000′ have produced since 1943.
Most production around here was from carbonate reservoir rocks (think limestone and dolomite).
According to the Oil and Gas Journal, there are some potentially productive oil shales in the Sunniland
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/vol-110/issue-3/exploration-development/sunniland-shale-an-emerging.html
This is why they are worried, potentially billions of barrels of petroleum recoverable by horizontal drilling and fracking.
It is sealed by evaporites (salt formations from dried up seas from days gone by) but anti-technology types don’t understand and won’t learn.
David for use of Al Gore’s Internet
Correction, “Gasland” not Gas.
Uh, anybody seen the documentary about fracking, “Gas”, where they show flames coming out of water faucets? I dunno if that film has been debunked or not, but seemed like the residents in the flick were sincere. Quite a horror show, what those people were going thru.
I’d rather offshore in the Gulf was gotten back to the good old days where it was easy to get a job out there instead of any industrialization of our beautiful Redneck Riviera, myself. Yes, I know, I know, can’t say offshore is any better, but at least it is not right here on the land we live on. But I’ve seen a drilling rig working off the coast of Alabama close enough you could swim to it, & I never heard of any incidents in that area (Alabama, I mean, not the whole Gulf). Arguments can be made against either, but we must produce our own oil & gas, or be at the mercy of OPEC, etc., for all time. Solar panels, windmills & electric cars won’t cut it.
Wow… just listen to these geologists and other scientists in these comments. I’d like to see one professional opinion that linked sinkholes to fracking. I’d also like to know of one person willing to pay more for fuel in order to stop fracking.
Pretty sure there are no Limerock deposits down there where they’re fracking at, since most fracking takes place 2 – 3 miles deep! The typical anti-progress argument if you ask me.
It wasn’t long ago that Florida Senator Bill Nelson tried to get a bill passed that would forever ban drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico anywhere near Florida’s shores. This was a blatant disregard for current and future technology.
The same disregard for proven scientific methods and future advances in technology is in play with this bill.
When we take the emotional “feelings” out of a debate we are left with proven scientific results. Oh, and scientific studies are not the hit pieces you may have seen on TV.
I cannot think of any industry that is 100% without any risk wether it be farming, home building for the influx of new Florida residents, manufacturing of most any kind, etc.
Do we want to just stop all nessarly progress that would supply the needs of expanding populations?
Somebody in an earlier story on NE had said that fracking had been going on for years in Jay. Is that true? The poster sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Frack you drillers of oil make us independent again.
i dont have a problem with drilling on shore or off shore but i do have a problem with fracking the oil companys will not tell you what they inject into the well as for it being safe i dont think so bottom line DRILL BABY DRILL BUT NO FRACKING IN MY STATE
If all the people that are against fracking would stop using energy then we would not need fracking. My attitude is drill baby drill and become energy independent and then we will see what the mid east does with their oil. We have made them rich beyond imagination.
I see no benefit to using FL for this purpose. It seems to be fragile enough,ie; surrounded by water, having to constantly fight off-shore drilling (oh yeah, that was real safe!), subject to storms that try to wipe us off the map, etc. No, we have more stable areas in this country. Plus, I’m no expert, but you drill enough holes in a board it will snap into pieces. We have enough sink-holes already. Better safe than to hear
‘oops” later on.
Do these lawmakers travel back and forth to Tali in a pedal car? Oil is our primary energy source. Fracking is safe.