Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan petitioners at a booth in Bay City. /Courtesy of Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan
The Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan is hosting a benefit at Harmony Brewing Company on July 8 to inform the community of hydraulic fracturing in Michigan. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is a process through which oil and natural gas are drilled.
The event offers an opportunity for the community to meet with volunteers and socialize with others interested in the issue, says LuAnne Kozma, Campaign Director.
The event will focus on gathering signatures for a petition to include the Committee to Ban Fracking’s legislative proposal on next year’s statewide ballot. The committee’s proposal would ban fracking and frack wastes in Michigan and includes an amendment to the state’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
“We're not asking our elected officials to write this law. We wrote the law; thee citizens wrote the law,” says Kozma. “Now we are all banding together to get other people to agree to the same law too and put it up there for a vote of the people so we can make it become a law. As it stands now, we don't think that the current legislators have the courage to write such a law.”
In order for the proposal to be included on the ballot, the petition must collect more than 258,088 signatures from Michigan voters.
Information on how petitions work and how to gather signatures will also be available. The benefit will be held from noon to midnight. Committee members and volunteers will work in shifts throughout the day.
Events are held throughout the state to raise awareness and collect signatures. Kent County Coordinator Nick Nortier is organizing the event.
“It’s just nice to be able to open up dialogue. I’m hoping people will come out and learn more about [fracking in Michigan] and hopefully sign the petition,” says Nortier. “If we could recruit more petitioners that would be great as well. But mainly our goal is to educate.”
A portion of sales will go toward the organization. Committee officials will be accepting donations at the event. Donations can also be made via mail or online. Anyone interested in volunteering at the benefit can contact Nortier via email.
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