Vermont first state in nation to ban fracking for oil and gas

Vermont first state in nation to ban fracking for oil and gas by Carl Etnier, May 4, 2012, vtdigger.org
With a 103-36 vote in the House of Representatives, Vermont on Friday became the first state to ban hydraulic fracturing to extract oil or natural gas. … The House debate was short. … For Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, being first in the nation was a point of pride. “I’m very proud that Vermont will become the first state to ban fracking for natural gas,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing for the protection of Vermont’s critical natural resources, our air, land, water, and to protect public health. And it also sends a very strong message to folks in many other states who are taking on the gas and oil industry.” Burns said that by Friday afternoon, hours after the bill had passed, others in the country were looking to learn from Vermont. “I’ve already gotten a couple of calls from folks in New York who are very excited to see that we’ve taken this step today. They’re going to be trying to follow in our footsteps, and we think that would be very smart.” … “Fracking has caused enormous problems with underground water contamination and aboveground waste disposal – entire streams have been destroyed,”