A deal may be in place that would allow “fracking” in Illinois. The term is shorthand for hydraulic fracturing, a process that uses high-pressure to crack underground rock formations and retrieve oil and gas from underneath it.
Supporters say there could be a rich supply of both in Southern Illinois, and allowing fracking could create thousands of jobs in that area. A coalition of lawmakers, business interests, and even environmentalists worked on compromise language on a “fracking” bill. However, another piece of legislation calls for a two-year moratorium on the practice, while scientists study its long-range effects.
