(This is in MPSIMS rather than Elections as it is discussing laws rather than voting on the laws themselves. If it should go into Elections, then perhaps the category should be renamed Politics?)
A number of “fracking bans” were enacted in the November election. Two of them came to my attention - the city of Denton, TX (which I am led to believe is the “spearhead” of the anti-Fracking movement), and Mendocino County, CA (on the California coast, just north of Sonoma, and near both where I grew up and where I currently live).
The big difference seems to be in the way they are to be enforced.
Denton’s law calls for a fine of $2000 per day per person / corporation. If I read this right, this is little more than a “fracking tax” of $60,000 per month. Depending on how much profit can be made, it may still be worth doing.
On the other hand, in Mendocino County,
(a) every time a fracking pump is turned on,
(b) every “stroke of the pump”,
and © every day in which fracking equipment is present for 8 hours or more, regardless of operational status
is subject to a separate mandatory sentence of one year in jail and $10,000 fine, and the jail term may not be replaced with probation.
In addition, anyone who brings an action against a person or corporation is entitled to recover all costs, including attorneys’ fees without limit. Note that it does not say that the entitlement is subject to obtaining a conviction.