fb-pixelBill would ban ‘fracking’ in Mass. for 10 years - The Boston Globe Skip to main content
Boston

Bill would ban ‘fracking’ in Mass. for 10 years

A bill to temporarily ban the natural gas drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — is making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature. The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has approved a bill that would create a 10-year moratorium on the technique. Environmental activists argue that fracking can lead to water contamination, illness, and damage to rural landscapes. Supporters say the technique is safe and is a way to extract natural shale gas that would otherwise remain trapped underground, helping keep energy prices down. There could be limited shale gas deposits in Western Massachusetts. Vermont last year became the first state to ban hydraulic fracturing. (AP)