RALEIGH—Republican leaders from the General Assembly responded to the governor's decision to veto the Senate bill to legalize fracking.

Senate president pro tempore Phil Berger and house speaker Tom Tillis issued the following joint statement:

The governor's latest flip-flop on shale gas exploration is an attempt to slam the brakes on the creation of a vibrant new economic sector in North Carolina. The General Assembly incorporated many of the governor’s recommendations in a bipartisan plan to begin developing the regulatory framework for affordable, clean energy alternatives. We are disappointed, but not surprised, that when decision time neared, she once again caved to her liberal base rather than support the promise of more jobs for our state.