Environmental Watchdog Group Calls Greenlight of Gas Industry a 'Radical Departure'

In response to a story in today's New York Times, Environmental Advocates of New York released the following statement:

Environmental Advocates of New York is incredulous that Governor Cuomo, who in past statements has said "We should not pursue it [high volume hydraulic fracturing] unless and until we know that environmentally it is safe..." and that New York's watersheds are "sacrosanct," would try to circumvent a thorough environmental review process already underway. Such an action would be a radical departure from a sound, responsible decision-making process.

According to the story in today's New York Times, the moratorium will be lifted in all parts of the state except the New York City and Syracuse watersheds. This, too, is a departure from the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) efforts to protect all of New York's watersheds. All parts of the state deserve to be protected equally from this environmentally destructive drilling technique.

We are calling on the Governor and the DEC to thoroughly investigate the safety concerns surrounding hydraulic fracturing, including recent accidents and environmental contamination in other states, and to update New York State's more than 30-year-old oil and gas mining regulations and put forth a strict regulatory framework for such drilling.

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Environmental Advocates of New York's mission is to protect our air, land, water and wildlife and the health of all New Yorkers. Based in Albany, we monitor state government, evaluate proposed laws, and champion policies and practices that will ensure the responsible stewardship of our shared environment. We work to support and strengthen the efforts of New York's environmental community and to make our state a national leader.