Fracking ban petition drive reaches the home stretch

Backers of a ban on fracking in Michigan will deliver hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s office this week.

Supporters need to collect a quarter million signatures to ask voters next year to approve a ban on hydraulic fracturing in Michigan.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas.

The Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan is putting on a big push in the final weekend before they plan to deliver their petition signatures.

LuAnne Kozma is the committee’s spokeswoman.  She says it’s time to gather the petitions.

“That’s what we’re doing right now,” says Kozma, “It is exciting to see them all come in.”

The plan is to continue collecting signatures through Monday.  

Among other events planned, Kozma says they’ll have a table set up at a Jackson Browne concert in Grand Rapids Monday night. 

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce calls the petition an attack on private property rights, that will result in a lost jobs and increase the cost of home heating.