Fracking fan

State Sen. Jim Nielsen (pictured), who is running for re-election, has sent out a letter urging people to reject Butte County’s move to ban fracking. “America needs to promote domestic production of energy, create jobs and decrease our reliance on imported foreign oil,” the letter begins.

Last month, the Butte County Board of Supervisors instructed staff to move forward with legislation that would ban fracking—the use of high-pressured water and chemicals to break up underground shale and release oil and natural gas deposits.

Nielsen encourages those who received the letter to join Butte Citizens Against Higher Energy Costs. He closes the letter by saying there is a need to work toward an energy future “where we can run our businesses and lives without big government telling us what to do.” This raises the question: Does the Butte County Board of Supervisors qualify as big government?