Lawsuit Against Fracking Ban in Denton To Challenge Local Control Tradition in Texas

摘要

Less than 24 hours after voters in Denton, Texas, approved a ban on hydraulic fracturing, a statewide oil and gas industry group filed a lawsuit saying the ban is inconsistent with state law and violates its constitution. Filed by the Texas Oil and Gas Association against the city of Denton, the case will test a strong tradition of local government authority in Texas, where energy exploration and production are regulated by the state. "There is legal precedence acknowledging local rule, but that doesn't imply a ban is allowed. It could go either way," David Spence, professor of law, politics and regulation at the University of Texas Law School, told Bloomberg BNA.