FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 20, 2014
CONTACT: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, NC League of Conservation Voters; dan@nclcv.org, 919-839-0020 or 919-539-1422
Raleigh, NC – NC League of Conservation Voters has been engaged in an effort to contact concerned citizens during the public comment period on proposed fracking rules. Through an aggressive grassroots campaign, both online and on the ground, nearly 2,000 public comments have been collected to date.
The NC Mining and Energy Commission (MEC), the regulatory body empowered by the state legislature to oversee the regulation of fracking in North Carolina, has sent its proposed rules governing fracking out for public hearing and comment. The proposed rules are complex with multiple sections.
To encourage clear and effective public participation in this rulemaking process, NCLCV is focusing on two areas: enforcement of pollution controls on fracking wells and permitting of proposed fracking wells. The organization has also prepared fact sheets on the rules’ enforcement plans and permitting process. They can be accessed here along with information on submitting comments: nclcv.org/fracking
In-person hearings on the proposed MEC fracking rules begin today, Wednesday, August 20, in Raleigh. The hearing will be held from 10am to 2pm at NC State’s McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St., Raleigh. The hearings continue across the state and include: Sanford, August 22; Reidsville, August 25; and Cullowhee, September 12.
NCLCV will encourage members to submit comments until the September 30th deadline. Field teams in Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte will collect comments from the general public. NCLCV’s goal is to have 10,000 North Carolinians submit comments to make sure that if fracking happens, it is done in the safest, most environmentally-conscious way possible.
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NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life.
