Tagged: fracking

A new poll shows a slim majority of Michiganders support natural gas fracking, though they want the industry to face more regulations and pay more taxes.

Michigan’s natural gas industry has grown as companies have used a technique called Hydraulic Fracturing, or fracking, to break up shale deposits releasing natural gas.

Critics complain fracking is contaminating drinking water and causing other environmental problems.

Opponents of hydraulic fracturing – or “fracking” – are blasting Michigan officials for opening more state lands to oil and gas companies. They held a rally in Lansing today as state officials auctioned the mineral rights for tens of thousands of acres of state land.

Fracking is a controversial process of extracting natural gas from deep underground.

Jim Nash is Oakland County’s water resources commissioner. He says the state needs to do more to protect against possible spills from fracking wells.

"We have fairly strict laws in Michigan, but we only have 22 people that actually do inspections," said Nash. "So it’s mostly self-reporting of incidents. That’s great if you have an honest company. But if you have a dishonest company that’s cutting corners already, they’re not going to report a bad accident."

The state Department of Environmental Quality says companies have been fracking in Michigan for decades without any significant environmental incidents.

Governor Snyder signs wolf hunt bill

“Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation for a second time that would permit wolf hunts in Michigan. The governor signed the new law a day before the Michigan Natural Resources Commission is expected to approve a wolf-hunting season in some parts of the western Upper Peninsula. That’s despite a pending referendum challenge to the earlier wolf-hunting law,” Rick Pluta reports.

Bill would keep drunk driving limits the same

Governor Rick Snyder is expected to sign legislation today that will keep the legal limit for drivers’ blood-alcohol content at 0.08 percent.

“The limit is set to revert back to 0.10 percent in October because of a sunset provision in current state law. The state would lose more than $50 million in federal funding for the state's highways if the limit rises,” the Associated Press reports.

Fracking debate intensifies

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is holding an auction today for state-owned oil and gas lease rights, prompting a heated debate over the expansion of hydraulic fracturing.

According to the Detroit News,

“Armed guards were present a week ago Tuesday at a public hearing held by Michigan's departments of natural resources and environmental quality to discuss drilling and the controversial natural gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking."

MLive.com reports that environmental groups are planning protests outside the Lansing Center today, where the auction will take place.

Michigan Radio recently co-hosted a town hall meeting with the University of Michigan's School of Engineering on the future of horizontal hydraulic fracturing in Michigan.

We also live-tweeted the event on hashtag #fracktopia. Here's one of the more revelatory facts that came out of that discussion:

MDEQ's Bill Mitchell says there are 25 people who inspect the wells in Michigan. There are 12,000 wells in the state. #fracktopia

— Michigan Radio (@MichiganRadio) April 17, 2013

Those are gas wells. Not necessarily horizontally fractured wells. Horizontal fracturing is still in the experimental stage in Michigan. One industry representative at the meeting said "the jury is still out" on whether horizontal hydraulic fracturing in Michigan would be a good investment.

The town hall discussion featured a screening of Fracktopia, a short film about the latest techniques to recover natural gas and oil and their potential consequences. Michigan Radio's Lester Graham then led a discussion and Q-and-A session with the following panelists:

• Professor Brian Ellis, Michigan Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Bill Stelzer, Stelzer Consulting
• Hugh McDiarmid Jr., Michigan Environmental Council
• Bill Mitchell, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

You can watch the town hall meeting in full on the U-M School of Engineering's website.

Just click on the "View On-Demand" link.

The University of Michigan is undertaking a broad review of the effects of Michigan’s growing natural gas industry.   U of M researchers met with environmentalists and industry officials today in Lansing.

Most natural gas is extracted using a process called hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as fracking. There are concerns that fracking might cause health and environmental problems.   But supporters say fracking is helping boost Michigan’s economy.