Administrative Watch: Challenged Fracking Board Meeting Delayed

Individuals claiming authority under a state panel found illegal by a court ruling last year didn’t try to meet last week to debate rules on fracking for natural gas.

The group’s self-purported representative announced plans to delay the meeting until later this fall. While he cited other reasons, his announcement came following the news that the NC Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regards the rump group as lacking legal authority to meet, and would not staff the meeting.

Jim Womack is a fracking advocate and formerly a member of the state energy commission which was invalidated by court decision. He had previously announced plans to convene a meeting of a successor panel, to consider objections to the local fracking moratoriums passed by Lee and Chatham counties. Some of the old commission’s former members have already announced that they’re out of the picture, and the legal authority of the rest to meet as a state board is dubious at best.

Unlike former Governor Pat McCrory, current Governor Roy Cooper (who defeated McCrory last year) is not a fracking enthusiast. As a result, it is clear that the DEQ today is in no rush to restart stalled momentum for fracking in North Carolina.

Next: Governor Cooper issues his fourth veto against anti-conservation legislation.