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Fracking Goes To The Ballot Box In Johnson County, Ill.

Voters in Johnson County, Illinois will have a chance to voice their opinions about hydraulic fracturing at the ballot box. 

A group of Johnson County citizens submitted 1,001 signature to county officials on Thursday to put a non-binding resolution on the March 18 primary ballot that asks iffrackingshould be banned within the county. They only needed to gather 374.

Tony Gerard lives near Wildcat Bluff in rural Johnson County. He said the petition is the first volley in what he thinks will be a long battle against the controversial oil and gas mining technique.

“We’ve got a lot of common folks up against a multi-zillion dollar corporation with an army of lawyers,” Gerard said. “So can we hope to prevail? I don’t know, against all that money and all that expertise at legal maneuvering. But for the sake of my kids, I’ve got to try.”

KrisPirmannowns and operates a vegetable farm near Tunnel Hill. He said the people who live in Johnson County should have a say about what happens there.

“The revenue might not always be local. The jobs might not always be local. But you can’t get away from the fact that the pollution and environmental impact are always local. And they’re always going to impact directly the community where those actions take place,”Pirmannsaid.

Even though the resolution is non-binding,frackingopponents hope a win at the ballot box will compel the county commission to ban the practice.

Copyright 2013 KRCU Public Radio

Jacob spearheads KRCU’s local news effort. His reporting has been heard on NPR’ Morning Edition and All Things Considered, PRI’s The World, and Harvest Public Media. In addition to reporting, Jacob directs KRCU’s team of student reporters and producers.