Go, Vermont

Vermont, the New England state known for maple syrup, picturesque mountains and historic farms, now claims the title as the first state in the nation to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Exempted from the national Clean Water Act or the Safe Drinking Water Act, the booming fracking industry has often left states scrambling for their own regulatory devices, often against great political opposition and typically somewhat after the fact.

Taking precaution from nearby states like New York and Pennsylvania, states that have a deep and often volatile relationship with fracking given the rich natural gas deposits found in the Marcellus and Utica shale reserves, Vermont has decided to bypass a moratorium and instate a full-out ban on the practice. Some argue that Vermont could make this decision more easily when compared with other states given local geology; Vermont is not known for its oil and gas reserves, save a Utica shale deposit located in the northwest portion of the state. State geologist Larry Becker commented that “deposits could not have survived the heat and pressure in Vermont’s geologic history.”

Fracking remains a contentious political and environmental issue, particularly among many rural communities in the United States. Serious health concerns, including cancer, skin rashes, headaches and undrinkable water are also correlated to the industry. While not limited to the United States, fracking has taken off in the past decade in the U.S. and the public is just now learning the serious ramifications of an unregulated business. States like Vermont that decide to follow the precautionary principle, a principle that states that the burden of proof falls on those promoting the action, is a policy that should be seriously considered by other states, especially in lieu of any significant overarching federal regulation.

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