WASHINGTON — Fracking, a divisive energy issue, has been approved in the George Washington National Forest in the state of Virginia.
Fox News reported the U.S. Park Service initially banned fracking in the forest, which is the largest national forest on the East Coast, but rethought their plans after energy companies protested the ban.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is where energy companies dig into the ground and tap into shale deposits, which yield oil deposits. It has led to an economic boon in North Dakota, as well as certain parts of Pennsylvania.
Now, only 167,000 acres can be drilled where there are private mineral rights out of the 1.1 million total acres of the national forest. An additional 10,000 acres which are leased to energy companies will be permitted to continue operations.
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