Article II of the North Carolina Constitution sets forth the powers of the state legislature. Section 22 describes how a bill becomes a law, and what happens when the governor vetoes a law. The Constitution requires that three-fifths of those present and voting in the House and in the Senate must vote to override a veto. If that happens, the bill becomes law "notwithstanding the objections of the Governor."

Fracking opponents are continuing to apply pressure on Gov. Bev Perdue to veto legislation intended to create a natural gas production industry in the state.

The Sierra Club and Clean Water for North Carolina delivered 77 signatures to the governor last week, releasing the letters today. Forty-four are local business owners and 33 are elected officials.

"Shale gas development offers little prospect of real economic gain here," the business petition states. It's signed by owners of Asheville Geothermal, Southern Energy Management of Morrisville, Sage Cafe of Chapel Hill, Merge Records of Durham, Carolina Gymnastics Academy of Wilmington, Invest for Change of Raleigh, Jordan Lake School of the Arts in Apex, Legacy Paddle Sports in Greensboro, Bish Enterprises in Siler City and Raleigh Cary Realty, among others.

The letter from elected officials say the fracking legislation is flawed because it does not explicitly grant local officials power to ban fracking in their towns and counties. It contains representatives from Butner, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Creedmoor, Durham, Pittsboro, Raleigh as well as Chatham, Durham and Orange counties.