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Mora Commissioners Repeal Fracking Ban

Wild Earth Guardians via flickr

Mora County was the first county in the United States to ban the practice of fracking. But, last week, commissioners there unanimously voted to overturn the ban.

Last week’s vote repealed a 2013 ordinance passed by the county commission that said fracking was a violation of the community’s right to clean air and water.

Energy companies filed several lawsuits over the ordinance in federal court, saying the measure infringed on the rights of landowners to develop mineral resources on their property.

An energy industry representative from one group suing the county told the Albuquerque Journal she expected the lawsuit would be dropped following the commission’s vote to repeal the law. 

Ed Williams came to KUNM in 2014 by way of Carbondale, Colorado, where he worked as a public radio reporter covering environmental issues. Originally from Austin, Texas, Ed has reported on environmental, social justice, immigration and Native American issues in the U.S. and Latin America for the Austin American-Statesman, Z Magazine, NPR’s Latino USA and others. In his spare time, look for Ed riding his mountain bike in the Sandias or sparring on the jiu-jitsu mat.
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