Illinois county votes against anti-fracking proposal

An advisory measure to ban fracking in Johnson County, Illinois (Wikipedia map) failed on Tuesday, with 1,600 people voting for the prohibition and 2,200 against it, Jim Suhr reports for The Associated Press. "The nonbinding referendum was meant to advise the county’s commission whether it should resist the drilling practice that involves blasting rock formations deep underground with water, sand and chemicals to release trapped oil and gas." About 50 percent of the county's 8,000 registered voters cast ballots, the second-highest voter turnout in 20 years.

Opponents worry about the environmental concerns fracking could bring to the county, and felt the wording in the referendum confused voters, Suhr writes. Annette McMichael of Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing Our Environment "said telephone surveys before the primary showed that some voters who cast ballots during the early voting period said they voted 'no,' believing that was a vote against fracking. But a 'yes' vote actually would have been in favor of restricting the questioned drilling."

Advocates say they welcome the much-needed boost fracking could bring to the area's struggling economy, Suhr writes. Farmer Monty Sanders told Suhr, “There isn’t much down here, and something like that could bring in thousands of jobs. It’s a big deal. We need jobs, and we need revenue. I’m a landowner, and if I wanted fracking on my property. it’s my business. By God if I could, I would.” (Read more)