Chris Christie poses on fracking.
The International Business Times reports,
New Jersey lawmakers passed a one-year ban late Monday on the controversial natural gas extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing.
Hydraulic fracturing is the process of extracting natural gas from rock formations by blasting a cocktail of water, sand and chemicals deep underground to fracture the rock and release the natural gas. Fracturing occurs after drilling has reached the target rock formation.
Lawmakers made the ban temporary instead of permanent because last August Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed a measure instituting a permanent ban.
Christie said at the time of his conditional veto a permanent ban was not appropriate as more research was needed to assess the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing.
“While I do share the sponsors’ concerns about protecting our drinking water, I do not believe that the case has been made to justify a complete, permanent, statutory prohibition on fracking,” read Christie’s veto. He cited ongoing federal studies into a possible link between hydraulic fracturing and groundwater contamination as the basis of the veto.
Christie supports the one-year alternative.
New Jersey’s vote is mostly symbolic because the state is not considered to have enough shale to warrant much hydraulic fracturing. Yet New Jersey has aggressively pursued laws against the practice…
Passing laws against activity not likely to occur?
Looks good to the electorate if it looks like you’re doing something good for the state and most people don’t know the difference.