A group of UF students is gathering signatures for a petition against fracking in Florida, with plans to present it to a Florida senator Tuesday.
The student organization UF Catalysts for Change has collected about 300 signatures over the past two weeks in support of their petition to ban fracking in Florida to avoid the risk of contaminating drinking water and harming natural landscapes, said Sophia Semensky, the organization’s vice president. On Thursday, the group’s members stood on Turlington Plaza asking students to sign their petition.
A proposed bill in the upcoming Florida legislative session looks to ban all fracking in the state. The group said it hopes to get the petition to Sen. Rob Bradley, a Republican representing District 5 and a member of two environmental committees, who hasn’t taken a public position on fracking.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to create fractures in rock formations, which allows natural gas and oil to be released, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Supporters say fracking increases production and lowers energy costs, but opponents argue it can affect water supplies and cause environmental damage.
Semensky, an 18-year-old UF exploratory freshman, said she stood for two hours on Turlington asking students to sign the petition, which said, “Please put the safety of our drinking water before the profits of oil & gas companies.”
“We want to make as many people aware as possible before the legislative session,” she said.
Tuesday, members of the club will travel to Starke, Florida, to meet with Bradley’s legislative assistant and present the petition, which will hopefully have 400 signatures, she said.
Evan Shapiro, a UF political science senior, signed the petition Thursday.
“I watched the documentary ‘Gasland,’ and I don’t want my kitchen sink to light up on re because fracking caused tap water to contain chemicals,” the 22-year-old said. “I hope all the senators vote against fracking.”
