July 5, 2012 11:58 am
North Carolina Rep Pushes Wrong Button and Approves Fracking in the State
Careful what button you push. Photo: Flickr user Daniel Y. Go
North Carolina’s legislature has been battling with the state’s governor over a bill that would lift the state’s ban on fracking for natural gas. The governor had already vetoed a bill lifting the ban, and on Monday the state’s General Assembly was voting to override the veto. It hinged on one vote, as the Wall Street Journal reports:
Rep. Becky Carney, a five-term Democrat from Charlotte, burst into tears after mistakenly voting with Republicans to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of the contentious legislation. The measure lifts the ban on hydraulic fracturing as a means for mining for natural gas.
Ms. Carney and other Democrats asked for a do-over, as is common when a member pushes the wrong button. But in this instance, Republicans said no. A change in Carney’s vote would have changed the outcome, which is against the House rules. But Ms. Carney asked for the rules to be suspended so she could change her vote, but got nowhere.
So now fracking can go ahead in North Carolina, all because one tired legislator pushed the wrong button. As the News Observer, it’s a high-risk proposition for the state:
Fracking here will likely entail greater risks to drinking water supplies and may require special measures not used in other states.
North Carolina’s natural gas reserves are much closer to groundwater than in other states, and the rock in between is not watertight and could permit potent fracking chemicals to work their way upward and contaminate the aquifers, state regulators say.
Whatever, no take-backs!
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I admit that I don’t read the Smithsonian.com website very often but I’m a bit befuddled by this article. I don’t know much about “fracking” at all but their must be some positive benefits, right? Perhaps it helps the state economically and offers jobs to hundreds or maybe even thousands of the residents of the state? Perhaps there are also means to mitigate the more harmful side effects of this sort of drilling?
I really don’t have the answers to these questions but I thought that instead of acting an adjunct of the Democratic Party, the Smithsonian might hire writers with a little bit of judgement and moderation.
Whatever Smithsonian, I guess you only offer a very liberal perspective on complex issues. After a bad first impression there are no-take backs!
Comment by Tim — July 5, 2012 @ 12:32 pm
Wide scale poisoning of our water wells.
You can always count on Republican greed.
Watch Gasland the movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phCibwj396I
Comment by Alec — July 5, 2012 @ 2:45 pm
Politicians are not known for their intelligence. Now, was it the red button or the blue button that launches the nukes?
Comment by Hugo Jungers — July 5, 2012 @ 5:21 pm
I think we need to re elecct her, she is doing what is right for NC. BZ
Comment by Ray Pender — July 5, 2012 @ 7:45 pm