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Sarasota News Leader January 24, 2014 Page 12 suck millions of gallons of water from the aquifer. When it comes to fracking in Florida, the industry's attention appears to be focused on two parts of the state. The first is the "Sunniland Trend" in Southwest Florida, mostly in Lee, Collier and Hendry counties. That trend is 150 miles long and 20 miles wide, stretching from Fort Myers to Miami. The second area is northwest Florida. But that does not mean the gas and oil companies are not looking in other regions. "A lot of the activity has to remain confidential because the stakes are so high," Mica said of the race to bring hydraulic fracturing to new places. "Public attention is on those two areas in southwest Florida and northwest Florida." Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, speaks on the Florida Also unknown is whether it will be economHouse floor. Photo courtesy myfloridahouse.gov ically feasible to frack in Florida, where "a delicate balance" keeps water clean and the geology is so different from natural gasviable as a source of drinking water. rich areas such as the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Yon, the legislative director at Audubon Media reports as early as October 2012 in the Florida, says water used in the fracking proFort Myers News Press detailed some initial cess in Lee or Collier counties could have a interest of at least two companies in regard to big impact on the water supply — even in the deep unexplored regions of the Sunniland Sarasota County. Trend. 'A DELICATE BALANCE' Even fracking to the south in Lee, Collier and Hendry counties could have implications in Sarasota, said Jon Thaxton, former county commissioner and current director of community investment at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Thaxton has concerns. One of those regards the potential stresses on the aquifer, rivers and lakes — as well as the potential for contamination in a state where "One of the first and foremost concerns would be the amount of water used to carry out this process," Yon noted. "If there are counties nearby where fracking is happening, there should be some concern [in Sarasota County]. There are no county lines on the Peace River or the aquifer." Sarasota County draws its drinking water from several sources, including wells throughout the county, as well as the Manatee River and the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water