After years of studies, moratoriums, and intense lobbying on both sides, top state health and environmental officials today recommended against hydraulic fracturing in New York state.
Acting Health Commissioner Doctor Howard Zucker drew his conclusion from his department’s public health review of the controversial natural gas drilling practice. As a result, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens says he will soon issue a legally binding statement that will prohibit high volume hydraulic fracturing, or HVHF
“The development and long-term operation of HVHF wells involves unique, unresolved environmental risks ranging from releases, planned and unplanned, to waste disposal to air pollution. Numerous studies aimed at assessing the environmental impacts of HVHF have identified serious concerns and raised doubt about the protectiveness of certain mitigation measures.”
The decision was met with enthusiastic cheers from Syracuse common Councilors today when President Van Robinson broke the news after a routine study session.
Just yesterday, Jean Kessner joined other elected officials in urging a 3 to 5 year extension of a moratorium on fracking. She says the Cuomo Administration was under immense pressure to commence drilling.
“A lot of people wanted this; there was a lot riding on this. He looked at this with the long view, and the long view is: the gas is going to stay there. It’s not going any place. It’s in the bank. If you want to think of it as a resource we need in the future, when perhaps it’s a lot more environmentally sound to extract it.”
The decision did not please everyone. Business advocacy group unshackle upstate in a statement called the news a tremendous blow to the upstate economy, saying it would have generated millions in state and local revenues, and tens of thousands of jobs. State Republican Party Chair Ed Cox in a statement called the study a political charade, and charges Cuomo has given in to the environmental luddites in his own party to leave New York out of the hydro-fracking boom.