Green Watchdog Invites NY Gubernatorial Hopefuls to See Impacts of Natural Gas Drilling First-Hand

ALBANY, NY (04/09/2010)(readMedia)-- In response to recent statements by New York State gubernatorial hopeful Steve Levy, Environmental Advocates of New York is inviting everyone vying for the governor's seat this year to take the time to learn how industrial drilling has changed landscapes by flying over current natural gas drilling sites in nearby Pennsylvania.

"Steve Levy may better appreciate the New York side of the border when he sees firsthand the environmental impacts of natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania from the air," said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York. "Gas drilling by means of hydraulic fracturing is major industrial activity that takes a lot of water to produce relatively small amounts of gas and produces millions of gallons of wastewater laced with toxic chemicals. Before drilling starts, we must make sure that our water and communities are protected. State leaders making critical decisions about drilling must do so responsibly and know the facts."

The natural gas industry is eager to drill in New York. Drillers propose to use a dangerous technique, called hydraulic fracturing or "fracking," to extract gas buried beneath the rock of the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations, which underlie much of Central New York, the Southern Tier and Catskills, including the New York City watershed. In other parts of the country, fracking has poisoned wells and spilled toxic chemicals across landscapes.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is currently reviewing the more than 13,000 comments submitted on its draft natural gas drilling guidelines. The DEC's draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement has been called inadequate by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and members of Congress, including Representatives Arcuri, Massa and Nadler, among others.

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Environmental Advocates of New York was established 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. Environmental Advocates works to support and strengthen the efforts of New York's environmental community and to make our state a national leader. The 501c3 is the New York State affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.