NJ Lawmakers Accept One-Year Fracking Ban

The New Jersey Legislature has accepted Gov. Chris Christie's recommendation for a one-year ban on a natural gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, rather than continue to pursue a permanent ban.

The Senate and Assembly accepted Christie's conditional veto of legislation banning fracking outright late Monday.

The governor returned the bill to the Legislature in August with the recommendation that the ban be lifted in a year, rather than be made permanent.

Environmentalists had hoped the Democratic-controlled Legislature would try to override the governor's conditional veto.

The legislation is largely symbolic because there's not enough natural gas to drill for under New Jersey.

However, opponents say New Jersey could have sent a message about the importance of ensuring water quality by enacting an outright ban.

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