Record editorial blasts Florida House passing fracking bill -- acidification of porous limestone aquifer!

Editorial: Florida lawmakers: 'Let's get crackin' on frackin'
Posted: January 28, 2016 - 7:07pm

Florida is one giant step closer to opening itself to fracking after the House of Representatives passed HB 191, a pro-fracking bill which would prohibit counties and cities from banning the controversial oil-drilling process within their borders.

Proponents tell us that the bill actually sets up regulations and penalties for the industry that need to be in place. What they do not tell you is that fracking does not occur in Florida, and for good reason. The bill actually sets up the requirements for it to begin.

And, by attempting to exclude local control over fracking, the bill puts the activity “safely” into state hands — in practical terms, those of Republican lawmakers who never met an industry they didn’t like.

The bill contains classic Tallahassee double-speak. Listen: “ ... to avoid unnecessary duplication, a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state may not adopt or establish programs to accomplish the purposes of this section.”

More to the point it designed to “avoid necessary opposition.”

This is even better. The Sunshine State News reports that supporters contend the bill is yet another example of lawmakers stewardship in the face of controversy.

Bill sponsor, Republican Ray Rodriquez, said “The controversies we face ... aren’t new” then alluded to the “introduction of electricity, modern cars and the Kennedy Space Center as examples of environmental issues the Florida Legislature has tackled and passed, changing the lives of average Floridians for the better.”

Where do they get this stuff? But back to reality. What’s important to understand is that, in Florida, what’s commonly known to be fracking would not take place. Fracking is the process of injecting sand, water and chemicals (some used as wart remover) under high pressure into underground shale — releasing gas and petroleum. Florida’s substratum isn’t shale, it’s porous limestone. The process that would be used here is called “acidification” — in which acid is injected into the ground under high pressure, dissolving the limestone in order to get at the petro-goodies.

And, yes, that’s the same porous limestone that allows surface water to return to the Floridan aquifer, and for the aquifer to rise, as it does in springs, to the surface. The limestone could be compared to a chalky sponge.

How about a tall glass of that water?

The number is tough to track down and reported differently by various sources, but about 50 state counties and municipalities have passed resolutions to ban fracking within their jurisdiction. Conversely, none have resolved to allow it.

But (coincidentally?) on Wednesday, both the Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities simultaneously dropped their prior opposition to the bill because they worked out deals with lawmakers. They say the pact includes compromise language that “preserves the authority of local governments.”

How?

By allowing local governments to adopt land use requirements as long as local rules “don’t impose a moratorium on, effectively prohibit or inordinately burden” fracking operations. The League of Cities added that it was confident another benefit of its reversal will be to “enhance the opportunities for intergovernmental coordination early in the permitting process.”

You can’t make this stuff up. We wonder if they put their heads together with their members prior to the bailout.

The capitol building, the league of cities and the association of counties are headquartered blocks apart, off Monroe Street, in downtown Tallahassee. Maybe it’s a geography thing.


COMMENT
martystaug 01/28/16 - 08:51 pm 00Backup Plan
It will be good to have a backup plan to replace Florida's tourist industry, because this could be the end of it. In fact it may be the end of a lot of industries in Florida. Lets turn South Florida into the next Flint Michigan.