PSA - The Woolsey Operating Company has applied for the first permit to engage in high-volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in Illinois. Fracking presents many dangers.
A Public Forum is scheduled to be held regarding Risks of Radioactive Exposure From Fracking in Southern Illinois
When: Wednesday, June 21, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Where: Carbondale Township Hall, 217 E. Main St., Back Entrance, in Carbondale. The Township Hall is located across the street from the Bank of Carbondale, main branch and adjacent to Holt Tire. There is a parking lot in the back, off of Monroe Street. Enter through the back door to access the meeting room.
Sponsored by: SAFE, Southern Illinoisans Against Fracking our Environment
Link at Shawnee Green Party Page
The Woolsey Operating Company has applied for the first permit to engage in high-volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in Illinois. The application is for rural White County, just north of Enfield. According to the application, wastes from the site will be transported to deep injection disposal wells, also located in White County.
In addition to the dangers of chemical contamination of water, air and soil, the proven dangers of earthquakes caused by injecting wastes deep underground under high pressure, and the overall threat to the climate of Planet Earth caused by more fossil fuel extraction and combustion, fracking in Southern Illinois presents another threat to the health and well-being of workers, the surrounding community, and other living things: the risk of exposure to radioactive elements.
Studies have shown that naturally occurring radioactive materials are present in unusually high quantities in Southern Illinois shale. During drilling and fracking operations, these materials, if present in the shale itself or in the briney solution known as “formation water” in which the oil or gas deposits are found, will be brought to the surface, causing a risk of exposure to radioactive emissions. A 1997 study of nine oilfield production sites from conventional drilling in White County found that seven of the sites were judged to have “high radioactivity.”
Don’t expect government regulators to protect public health or safety. Radioactive oil and gas waste is exempt from most federal regulations on radioactivity and the regulations adopted in Illinois three years ago are mainly concerned with TESTING for radioactivity – and literally say nothing about what companies must do if hazardous levels of radioactive emissions are detected!
At this public forum, Rich Whitney will present his research on this subject and provide an informational handout. This will help provide you with ammunition to oppose Woolsey’s application for a fracking permit. Public comments may be submitted electronically through the Department of Natural Resources website at: DNR.HFPublicComments@illinois.gov or sent to Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Attention: Oil and Gas Regulatory Staff, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702.
All public comments must include the Review Number (HVHHF-000001) assigned by the Department to the permit application and be received by the Office of Oil and Gas Resource Management by 5:00 p.m. on June 27, 2017, in order to be considered by the Department during the permit review process.