NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 6, 2011


Assembly Holds Hearing on DEC's
Revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental
Impact Statement Governing Natural Gas Drilling

Legislators Take Testimony on State's Hydraulic Fracturing Permit Proposal

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Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney (Third from the left) took testimony today at an Assembly public hearing on the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DSGEIS). The testimony provided addressed the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing when used to recover natural gas from underground rock formations and the appropriate measures for regulating such drilling operations. Sweeney was joined at the Albany hearing by (from left) Assembly members Daniel O'Donnell, Brian Kavanagh and Barbara Lifton.
The Assembly held a public hearing today to receive public input on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DSGEIS).

Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney and committee members took testimony on the revised DSGEIS from more than 50 witnesses who came to Albany to testify, including government officials, scientists and representatives of environmental advocacy groups.

The revised DSGEIS is both an environmental impact analysis of high volume hydraulic fracturing, a process used in natural gas drilling, and an outline of the environmental protection standards that would govern high volume hydraulic fracturing natural gas drilling operations. The original DSGEIS was issued on September 30, 2009 and received thousands of comments. The revised DSGEIS reflects DEC's response to those comments.

Among those who testified were DEC Commissioner Joe Martens; NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland; United States Geological Survey Hydrologist William M. Kappel; Natural Resources Defense Council Senior Attorney Eric Goldstein; and Environmental Advocates of New York Policy Director Katherine Nadeau.

Also providing testimony was Roger Downs, conservation associate, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter; Sarah Eckel, policy analyst, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; New York State Petroleum Council Executive Director Mike Doyle; and Acting President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State Heather Briccetti, Esq.

Testimony also was taken from Sandra Steigraber, PhD., distinguished scholar in residence, Ithaca College; Ronald E. Bishop, PhD., lecturer, SUNY College at Oneonta; Jake Hays, program director, Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy; Jannette M. Barth, Ph.D., economist, Pepaction Institute, LLC; and other representatives of government agencies and environmental organizations.