Groups Reject IOGANY's Attempt to Buy off New York's Environment

ALBANY, NY (04/15/2010)(readMedia)-- In response to a statement released today by the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York (IOGANY), several environmental and good government organizations question IOGANY's math and claims of "environmental potential" related to natural gas development using high volume hydraulic fracturing, often called "fracking."

The questionable short-term financial gains of fracking for gas in New York State are overshadowed by the potential environmental and public health consequences of allowing a rush to drill without a strong legal and regulatory framework to ensure the protection of our drinking water, open spaces and clean air resources. Fracking has a documented track record of poisoning water supplies and spewing toxic chemicals in air and water in other parts of the country, including Colorado, Pennsylvania, Wyoming and Texas. The proposed leases would have substantial impacts on valuable public lands used for watershed protection, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation, and lands used for these purposes should not be subject to high-volume hydraulic fracturing.

IOGANY's statement today is just the latest public relations stunt undertaken to accelerate this controversial drilling practice and further evade critical environmental and public health protections.

The responding organizations include Adirondack Mountain Club, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Common Cause New York, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Environmental Advocates of New York, Parks & Trails New York, Riverkeeper and Sierra Club - Atlantic Chapter.

-30-

For more information:

Erica Ringewald (518) 210-9903, Environmental Advocates of New York

Dereth Glance ((518) 339-2853, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Paul Ertelt (518) 449-3870, Adirondack Mountain Club

Wes Gillingham (845) 482-5400, Catskill Mountainkeeper