Gov. Beverly Perdue says she believes a drilling method for natural gas opposed by some citizens and environmental groups can be performed safely in North Carolina.
Perdue told WRAL-TV on Wednesday that hydraulic fracturing -- or fracking -- makes sense if it can be regulated and fees are in place to ensure inspectors are on the ground.
The governor made the comments a week after she visited north-central Pennsylvania to examine the process firsthand and talk with regulators and local officials.
It's believed that natural gas that can be extracted from shale deposits in central North Carolina. Perdue says the challenge will be to determine the potential supply of gas and whether local residents will support the drilling.
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