Abstract:
The draft rules on fracking in North Carolina are rife with loopholes that favor the drillers and could endanger the public health and the environment. Public hearings in Raleigh have focused on the shortcomings of the Mining and Energy Commission’s draft rules. Rules prevent the public from knowing chemicals released into water supplies unless there is an emergency, require little testing of the water supply, make finding and enforcing violations difficult, and are weak on the handling of hazardous wastes. Specific shortcomings and their effect on citizens, the water supply, and the environment are discussed in detail.