Broward County has voted multiple times in opposition to fracking, including a January 26, 2016 item sponsored by Commissioner Furr which outlawed fracking in the Everglades. The commission and residents have made their will clear when it comes to the issue of extreme well stimulation and natural gas extraction. Fracking has harmful effects on our environment and water, and permanently damages South Florida’s natural resources.
In November 2017, Florida residents resoundingly approved Amendment 9, which outlawed fracking in off-shore areas. However, this bill does not pertain to inland water fracking. Because of this, there is the possibility that regulatory rollback or new proposals would allow fracking in the Everglades and other inland waters. This could apply to the Kanter Well proposed in Broward County’s Everglades. The possibility exists that the state could potentially pass laws or issue guidance which overrules home rule and disallows Broward to set our own fracking policy – in spite of the January 2016 ban.
Senate Bill 314 (“SB 314”) and House Bill 239 (“HB 239”) would prohibit in the State of Florida all “advanced well stimulation treatment,” including all stages of a well intervention performed by injecting fluids into a rock formation. This would essentially curtail and ban all fracking in inland waters. Combined with Amendment 9, this would be a huge step in banning all forms of fracking in our state. This resolution would state our support for these bills, and our continued commitment to banning fracking.
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