Sierra Club to Support Fracking Ban in Michigan

The Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club is supporting an effort for a ballot initiative to ban fracking in the state.

Members of the Sierra Club are collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to ban the practice of fracking in Michigan. The ballot language would include a ban on high volume hydraulic fracturing and would call for a halt to the importing of radioactive fracking waste from other states.

The Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Executive Committee Chair David Holtz says both issues pose risks for Michigan.

There’s a substantial amount of water that’s lost in the fracking process. In addition to the air quality issues, the contamination issues, and the potential for fracking wells contaminate drinking water sources.

– David Holtz, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Executive Committee Chair.

Holtz says it does not make sense for Michigan to be a dumping ground for other states’ radioactive waste. The club needs more than 250,000 signatures to place the question on the 2016 ballot.

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.