Hydraulic Fracturing Moratorium Bill Moves Out Of Committee

Suspension will provide legislators more time to study risks

May 20, 2011

Albany – Assemblymember Kevin Cahill (D-Ulster, Dutchess) announced that legislation he sponsored to suspend the issuance of new permits for hydraulic fracturing in New York State until June 1, 2012, was reported out of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation.

“Developing our own natural resources would be a path toward energy independence,” said Assemblymember Cahill. “However, science and many recent reports have indicated that the trade off for fracking for natural gas is too high a price to pay. We have seen no evidence thus far that suggests the regulatory process can adequately protect the drinking water supply upon which so many New Yorkers rely.”

Under this legislation (A.7400, Sweeney), the Department of Environmental Conservation would be prohibited from issuing permits for new wells that utilize the hydrofracking process to extract natural gas or oil at least until June 2012. The moratorium called for in the bill will provide the agency and the Legislature additional time to review the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, which is still in process. The current moratorium, Governor Paterson’s Executive Order #41, was continued by Governor Andrew Cuomo and is set to expire July 1, 2011.

“Even with the so-called strong regulations, the absence of adequate staffing to license, monitor and police mining operations has led to disaster in other states. I have great concern over the ability of the Department of Environmental Conservation, already decimated by layoffs, budget cuts and early retirements, to provide the level of support or expertise necessary to protect the people, lands and water of New York at this time,” said Assemblymember Cahill.

“The passage of this legislation by the full Assembly will be a step in the right direction for environmental protection in New York State, and I am proud to be a sponsor,” said Assemblymember Cahill. A leader in holding the Department of Environmental Conservation accountable in every stage of the process regarding the regulation of hydraulic fracturing and the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale Shelf, Assemblyman Cahill continues to stand firm against shortcuts in the review of massive outpouring of public comment.

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