ATI Statement on NJ Gov. Chris Christie's Proposed One-Year Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing

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Aug 25, 2011, 04:49 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today New Jersey's Republican governor, Chris Christie, vetoed a bill that would permanently ban hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") of natural gas in the Garden State, but proposed instead a one-year moratorium on the practice to allow further environmental study of the issue.

"While it's laudable that Gov. Christie vetoed a permanent ban on hydraulic fracturing, which has been shown to be safe repeatedly throughout the long history of its existence, unfortunately he has politically bowed to the propaganda and myths perpetrated by environmental extremists," said Paul Chesser, executive director of American Tradition Institute. "Gov. Christie should have noted the position of his counterpart in Colorado, Democrat Gov. (and geologist) John Hickenlooper, who recently articulated how safe hydraulic fracturing is and that the fearmongering by eco-activists and by the New York Times is unjustified and counterproductive."

Earlier this month Gov. Hickenlooper described to attendees at the Colorado Oil & Gas Association conference how "paranoia" is being whipped up over the unfounded dangers behind the process of hydraulic fracturing of shale to access natural gas and oil, stating there is "no science" behind the fears.

"Everybody in this room understands that hydraulic fracturing doesn't connect to the groundwater," said Gov. Hickenlooper on August 2. "It's almost inconceivable that we would ever contaminate, through the fracking process, the groundwater."

"While New Jersey is unlikely to produce any significant amounts of natural gas via hydraulic fracturing in the near future," Chesser said, "Gov. Christie's high profile as a conservative leader and icon among the nation's state executives makes this uninformed position he has taken on natural gas a disappointing one."

For an interview with American Tradition Institute executive director Paul Chesser, call (202)670-2680 or email [email protected].

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SOURCE American Tradition Institute