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Admitting the failure of legislation proposed by State Rep. John Bradley to circumvent the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by directly instituting hydraulic fracking rules via the General Assembly, State Rep. David Reis (R-Ste. Marie) led a call for fracking to begin in Illinois.
“All that needs to be done is that the Governor and the DNR present a second draft of the regulations, and fracking will be able to begin,” Rep. Reis said at a press conference in the Capitol with other members of a diverse coalition supporting fracking. “Politlcally-driven delays by the governor, his administration and departments are single-handedly stymieing the process,” he said. “We need to get busy fracking.”
Mark Denzler, CEO of Illinois Manufacturers Association, headed the pro-fracking GROW Association.
“Even the environmental community said we had the strongest environmental protections in the country. We worked to protect Illinois’ air, water and land. Second we wanted to bring jobs to Illinois,” Denzler said. “It’s been a year, it’s time for the governor and DNR to move on fracking rules.”
* Personally, I think the enviros are making a big mistake by supporting IDNR’s slow-walking of the rulemaking process.
I mean, there’s a reason why Gov. Quinn doesn’t want finalized rules before the election: The moratorium types are gonna freak the frack out once fracking begins. He’ll be constantly hounded in Chicago like he was last month…
By flooding IDNR with thousands of copy-and-pasted public comments and then demanding that IDNR respond to each and every one, they’re an accomplice in the slow-walking.
And what’s that gonna get them? Post-election rules that they will almost definitely hate.
Welcome to Springfield, kids.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:30 pm
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Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:42 pm
Well it depends, does the head of the agency set to regulate it hate the very idea of oil extraction?
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:47 pm
–The moratorium types are gonna freak the frack out once fracking begins.–
You’ve had that one on ice for some time, haven’t you?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:49 pm
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t IDNR legally required to respond to each comment? Maybe the oil and gas industry should support more employees and lawyers for IDNR to get through the process faster. Oh wait, that might require something like and adequate level of taxation for the services they are demanding. The industry is going to win anyway, who cares if they have to wait a few months?
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:52 pm
That OK, Illinois does not need the revenue or jobs that responsible tracking can bring
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 2:52 pm
@ precinct captain.
During negotiations, DNR and the EPA was asked specifically what they needed to administer the act and they requested $13,500 per permit. Industry did not disagree or try to lower that amount. DNR was given 100 percent of what they requested financially and plan to hire 53 people to administer - half of whom were hired last fall. So, the industry did FULLY support their request.
Secondly, the environmental community is putting much at risk. If Governor Quinn is not re-elected for example, new Governor Bruce Rauner and DNR could very quickly approve fracturing permits.
Comment by 4 percent Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:04 pm
And what’s that gonna get them? Earthquakes, polluted water
Comment by RetiredStateEmployee Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:26 pm
But they will feel good having complained….
Also I am sure Quinn will find a way to remind the protesters not to compare him to no fraking, but to the other frakin guy.
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:35 pm
We’re Illinois , who needs jobs? Let Texas , North Dakota, and Colorado have those jobs. We don’t need middle class jobs: we are Illinois. We’ll get to it in a few years. We don’t need tax revenue, we are doing just fine under one party rule.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:37 pm
I mean come on thats 26 people they can hire with the wrong Rutan status and then switch their status…
Quinn should be all over that.
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:38 pm
Judging by the huge backlash to Bradley’s bill, the “moratorium types” are still most of the environmental movement in Illinois and a lot of average southern Illinois residents, despite what four green groups allied with Quinn agree to.
Comment by The Obvious Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:45 pm
“isn’t IDNR legally required to respond to each comment?”
It depends on how you define “respond”. In a nutshell, agencies do have to respond to every ISSUE raised during the public comment period, but I dunno that they have to literally respond to every individual comment. Here’s what the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (5 ILCS 100-40) says about it:
“During the first notice period, the agency shall accept from any interested persons, data, views, arguments, or comments. These may, in the discretion of the agency, be submitted either orally or in writing or both. The notice published in the Illinois Register shall indicate the manner selected by the agency for the submissions. The agency shall consider all submissions received.”
Comment by Secret Square Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 4:00 pm
Fracking is occurring now, from what I’ve heard. How long do we wait for regulation?
Comment by Walker Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 4:07 pm
Quinn declares equal pay day in Illinois in this speech April 8,2014.What a hypocrite. he had a chance to right an equal pay wrong at IDOT and he walked away from the issue.
Comment by kathryn Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 4:26 pm
This rulemaking process is crucial to protecting the environment from the oil corporations.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 4:52 pm
Secret Square is correct. If agency receives comments from 100 or 1000 persons who each have the same comment, you just have to address each unique comment once. See 1 Ill. Adm. Code 220.600. The rules require: a list of specific criticisms, suggestions and comments raised by interested persons, and the agency’s analysis of each of these criticisms, suggestions and comments;
You do have to list the identity of each person making comments in the second notice filing.
There is no requirement that IDNR respond individually to identical comments from multiple individuals.
Comment by Just the Facts Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 5:01 pm
I’m intrigued to hear this argument more laid out: “Personally, I think the enviros are making a big mistake by supporting IDNR’s slow-walking of the rulemaking process.”
Why is it such a big mistake? I’m having trouble seeing what enviros gain by seeing rules implemented tomorrow.
Comment by Hamilton Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 5:45 pm
If fracking were to start next week it would put the issue up front and force Quinn to defend himself as the fracking Governor. That won’t go well for him. Fracking is still highly unpopular with most environmentalists and many southern Illinois independents. Quinn would much rather avoid discussing the issue and let Sierra Club give him cover with a good greenwash of his record until after election day.
Comment by JD Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 6:48 pm
Fracking is a hard subject. There are peer reviewed studies supporting both sides of the argument. Nothing I have found from a third party without a vested interest in the outcome seems to exist.
We could use the jobs and the resources, but until it can be proven to be with less risks than other forms of oil and gas extraction maybe we should keep it on standby. I am all for energy development here, but not without understanding the risks involved with a relatively new technology.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 7:41 pm
Lets not worry about important issues lets worry about cup cake making children. Who need jobs? Who needs a budget?? Bunch of clowns
Comment by Rob Roy Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 8:49 pm
–If fracking were to start next week it would put the issue up front and force Quinn to defend himself as the fracking Governor.–
Meh, he signed the bill. A slow-walk on rules doesn’t change that.
Maybe Quinn thinks that will help in some circles, but I don’t see it.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 11:51 pm
==- 4 percent - Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 3:04 pm:==
==- Secret Square - Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 4:00 pm:==
==- Just the Facts - Wednesday, May 28, 14 @ 5:01 pm:==
Thanks, I was looking for a fuller understanding of what required to respond meant.
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:12 am
Comment by CharlieQuarters Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:50 am
This is Illinois.
We would rather put you on a Link card, than let you earn wages.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 7:47 am
The facts are out there for those who care to actually learn. I’ve attended presentations on fracking by geological experts without a vested interest. If those open to facts and logic vs. untruths and hysteria would do likewise, they’d probably realize the vast majority of their concerns are unjustified.
Comment by logic not emotion Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:00 am