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Group: Fifth arrest during third day of fracking sit-in

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Illinois

* From a press release sent out last night…

Springfield, IL–For the third day in a row, concerned Illinoisans that have requested a meeting with Governor Quinn and that he reconsider his support of allowing hydraulic fracturing in Illinois, have sat-in in front of Governor Quinn’s office. Today 14 people joined the sit-in and the three people refused to leave as the capitol was closing were arrested. This brings the numbers of arrests for the week up to five.

Citizens sitting-in at Quinn’s office believe that that the voices of people that will be most affected by hydraulic fracturing have been ignored in the process of figuring out how to deal with this controversial practice which has left a wake of health and environmental problems in other states. […]

“It’s sad and enraging that they have trampled democracy by cutting a backroom deal to rush through a bill to regulate fracking. Now that it’s the 11th hour and the people who have not been heard and are politely requesting a meeting are being arrested by the people who should be representing our best interests.” said Jenn Carrillo of Bloomington-Normal, who was at the capitol today.

There were months of private negotiations, for sure, but I doubt there is a legislature anywhere in the nation where those don’t occur. And the bill is now fully out in public.

That being said, maybe the governor ought to at least meet with these folks for a few minutes. Your thoughts?

* Also, a pic from yesterday…

More pics here.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:02 pm

Comments

As long as they’re not foaming-at-the-mouth crazy or potentially violent, you meet with the folks. That’s part of the deal when you sit in the Big Chair.

If you can’t handle conflict, become a gardener and talk to the plants.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:12 pm
Wordslinger……Governor Quinn would probably hear a better train of logic from the plants in his garden than he would from these enviros.

The pictures of the folks sitting on the floor tell all that needs to be told.

What is delaying the vote on this issue??

Comment by JoeVerdeal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:32 pm
Kooks. They’ve been negotiating this for 3 years beginning with SB 3280. Numerous public hearings with dozens of groups. SAFE was even a part of some meetings earlier this year!!!

Comment by 1776 Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:46 pm
Not a big issue for me, and I am not familiar with this group. The State Journal-Register had a guest column yesterday written by a Peoria native who is the leader of the anti-fracking group in NY. She made some good points that I hadn’t considered.

Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, May 24, 13 @ 12:55 pm
They should light their methane on fire until Quinn agrees to meet with them.

Comment by TheDopeFromHope Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:06 pm
He should meet with them to announce he changed his position to support a moratorium on fracking.

Look at the condition of most systems of rivers and streams in this state. Municipalities and states can’t even adequately protect water above the ground.

The Great Lakes are also threatened — by municipal waste, industrial waste, and threats of drilling.

Fines are not prohibitive.

Lax regulation is codified.

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:13 pm
Civil rights advocates & Viet Nam War protesters who staged sit ins & other acts a lot more extreme than this, were called kooks too. Now we know they were right. So, don’t judge a book by its cover. A Phd scientist testified in Committee backing up the dangers of fracking these “kooks” are talking about. Gov. Quinn got himself famous by staging tea parties and other gimmicks similar to what these folks are doing. QUINN SHOULD MEET WITH THEM. He loses nothing by doing so; only gains.

Comment by Johnny Justice Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:34 pm
I say meet with them, try to reassure them that the protections are strong.

Then switch the topic to medical marijuana…

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:35 pm
STL, those anti-frackers know the medical marijuana bill only protects those sick enough, but not so sick they can’t find a way to jump through — and pay for the jumping — multiple hoops.

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:38 pm
You will need to work very hard to sell your gospel of fear to the Chicago folks.

You will need to have more success than you have had to the thousands of landowners who have leased their ground for drilling in Southern Illinois.

The people who have leased their ground are not inexperienced with regard to these matters. They know that your belief-system is groundless.

Residents of S.E. Illinois have not experienced negative consequences with previous fracking, which was done under much less stringent regulation than that which is proposed….and in much, much closer proximity to aquifers than proposed new drilling efforts.

Comment by JoeVerdeal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:41 pm
Hans, lighten up.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 1:49 pm
Assuming, as I don’t, the fracking lobby allowed enough taxes on their fracking so the not well funded (pun intended) IDNR can regulate their operations. How long will that last, if it ever starts?

The regulation is based on a strong regulatory agency.

Every fracker will be sure to stay at least 500 feet from the well and 300 feet from the stream.

They’ll all be fearful of “unlawful” acts.

And $5 million insurance covers water supply destruction.

Moratorium.

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:00 pm
STL — I’m not sick enough to lighten up!

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:01 pm
Sometimes we just disagree. Anyway they are a day late and a dollar short as the saying goes

Comment by steve schnorf Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:02 pm
- They’ll all be fearful of “unlawful” acts. -

As I understand it, if a water supply is polluted near a well, the burden of proof is on the drillers to prove they didn’t do it.

To me, that seems pretty significant, and I don’t believe any other state has that protection.

Anyway, if this shifts us to more natural gas and less petroleum or coal, it’s a win in my book. You have to take chances sometimes, I think Illinois could prove to be a model for responsible extraction.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:10 pm
“You have to take chances sometimes…”

Hey, I don’t want to take your chances!

Even if the technology was as foolproof as nukes (OMG!) a year ago or less there were attempts to charge admissions at state parks because the IDNR was so strapped for cash. (Does Rahm charge Chicagoans to walk along the lake front yet?)

Didn’t Blago shut down a few state historical sites and parks for a while to save IDNR dough, too?

Now the IDNR is going to regulate and save us from frackers?

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:23 pm
- IDNR was so strapped for cash. -

Yeah, and last session they received some additional funding sources, and they’ll receive more from this legislation.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:28 pm
It is not a bill that meets 100% of everyone’s needs, but no bill ever is. There was a negotiation process, and, to my knowledge, it included everyone who wanted to sit down and work on it. Some folks decided that a moratorium was the only way to go and decided not to participate in the drafting of the bill. That’s too bad. When I tell professional contacts about the agreed bill process in our state, many will say they wish their state legislature would use a similar process.

I think these folks should have participated and worked toward a consensus bill. Nobody gets everything they want, but they do get something they can live with. If you choose to say, “No, no, no!” you will lose out in the end.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, May 24, 13 @ 2:32 pm
“I think these folks should have participated and worked toward a consensus bill…”

If that means you recognize the legitimacy of their concerns, then support the moratorium.

It’s not as if NRDC or Sierra Club members want this bill. I’m not sure what they get out of “sitting at the table” then walking away with this.

Comment by Hans Sannity Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:16 pm
===I’m not sure what they get out of “sitting at the table” then walking away with this. ===

Then you’re absolutely blind.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 24, 13 @ 3:31 pm