Politics & Government

Rep. Roberts to Hold Town Hall on Fracking

State Rep. Sarah Roberts, and panel of experts, will discuss fracking Thursday at St. Margaret of Scotland church.

State Rep. Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores, will host a town hall meeting on fracking from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the parish hall of St. Margaret of Scotland Church.

According to a release, the event is being held to educate citizens on fracking, its impacts on the environment and to answer their questions. 

Roberts will be joined by Nic Clark, Director of Michigan Clean Water Action; Nick Shroeck, Director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center at Wayne State University; and Jack Schmitt, Deputy Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters at the free event which is open to the public.

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This has been an issue Roberts has been concerned about, because of the possible impact it may have on the Great Lakes.

Following the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announcement in October that the agency it will create new rules for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, Roberts released the following statement:  

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“It's great that the DEQ is proposing new requirements on fracking operations in Michigan, particularly around the water withdrawal assessment tool and reporting. Baseline water quality testing and ongoing monitoring should be a best practice for the industry across the United States,” Roberts said in a release.

“We know that Michigan can do more to protect our water from the risks and potential dangers of high volume horizontal hydraulic fracking,” said Roberts. "The newly announced DEQ regulations offer us an opportunity to refocus our attention on the bill package, work in a bipartisan manner and explore other legislative options to ensure proper safeguards are in place that will protect Michigan’s most vital asset, our fresh water.”


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