Oregon House approves fracking ban News
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Oregon House approves fracking ban

Oregon’s House of Representatives approved a bill Monday that would ban the use of hydraulic fracturing for the exploration of or production of oil and gas in Oregon.

The bill was passed by a vote of 42-12. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the bill would ban fracking until January 2, 2030. The bill exempts the use of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas storage wells, geothermal wells or geothermal activities and existing coal bed methane extraction.

The bill would declare an emergency to take effect immediately after enactment. The act is listed as being necessary for the “immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety.” There are no fracking wells currently in operation in Oregon.

The use of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas has been the focus of many laws in recent years. Earlier this month the UK High Court ruled that the government’s Guidance on Fracking was unlawful because it did not take into account scientific evidence and material. New York and Scotland enacted bans on fracking in 2015. New Jersey’s legislature passed a bill to ban fracking in 2011, but the bill was later vetoed.