France's constitutional court upheld a ban on hydraulic fracturing, the energy exploration technique known as fracking, reports Bloomberg.
The 2011 law “conforms to the constitution,” the court in Paris said in a decision posted on its website.
Schuepbach Energy LLC, a Dallas-based explorer, complained to the court that the 2011 law was unfair.
It had two exploration permits revoked after the ban was implemented. President Francois Hollande has said the country won’t allow exploration of shale energy and Environment Minister Philippe Martin has said the government would pass a new law should the current one be found unconstitutional.
Schuepbach argued in court last month that there isn’t a study that establishes risks from the technique, also known as fracking.
Read more of this report from Bloomberg.