Fracking Set to Begin in Illinois as Lawmakers Approve Regulation Rules

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a little-known 12-member legislative panel co-chaired by state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and Rep. Tim Schmitz, R-Geneva, approved rules regulating horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing – the final hurdle in a long-awaited decision by pro-fracking groups in southern Illinois.

Proponents of fracking say it will create thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars in revenue to the state economy. Opponents say it will cause irreparable harm to the environment, ranging from groundwater contamination to “fracking earthquakes.”

Do the economic benefits outweigh any potential environmental risks?

And nearly a week after the elections, one statewide race has yet to be called in Illinois, which could make it the closest ever in state history.

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