Back in spring of this year, we had already challenged Gov. Quinn on issuing exploratory permits to one company, Strata X. Promises were made that regulations would be in place before any fracking would begin, but instead we saw test fracks, exploding frozen pipes, and notices on the IDNR website appear throughout the early part of the year.

Now, this development was unsurprising for anyone that follows environmental issues in Illinois. We have long known that there aren’t enough regulators to check on the original daddy of fossil fuels in this state, coal, much less the political will and ruling for any kind of meaningful regulation to be enforced. (You are aware that coal is ramping up in this state, right?)

More drill rigs in the summer months have predictably popped up around resident’s land.

Keeping all of this in mind our collective takes notice that the Joint Committee for Administrative Rules has, quite predictably, opted to defer ruling on the regulations until several days after the election.

An ornate silver calf in the Illinois state building downtown.