Perdue visits PA to examine gas fracking

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – A spokesman for North Carolina Gov. Beverly
Perdue says her one-day trip to Pennsylvania to examine a natural
gas exploration method wasn’t publicized because she was only
gathering information and held no public events.

Perdue, state environment Secretary Dee Freeman and others
traveled March 5 to north-central Pennsylvania to visit Shell Oil
operations in the region where a process called hydraulic
fracturing occurs to extract natural gas from shale.

Perdue spokesman Mark Johnson said Tuesday the delegation also
met with regulators and local officials.

Freeman’s department is expected soon to release a report the
Legislature mandated to examine the procedure known as “fracking”
and recommend what steps the state should now take.

The News & Observer of Raleigh first reported details of the
trip that Perdue took by state aircraft.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)