NY Water Rangers & Allies Applaud Assembly on Fracking Health Study

Groups Praise NYS Senate & Assembly for Cutting Budget Transfer Language

ALBANY, NY (03/12/2012)(readMedia)-- In response to the release of the State Senate and Assembly budget proposals, the New York Water Rangers, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Frack Action, Sullivan Area Citizens for Responsible Energy Development, and Westchester for Change released the following statement:

"Governor Cuomo insists that science is guiding the state's decision regarding whether industrial gas drilling by means of fracking will be permitted in New York. But to date, the state has failed to study fracking's health impacts--a glaring omission.

Following the recommendation of more than 250 physicians and health professionals, legislators in the Assembly, particularly Speaker Silver, Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Sweeney, and Health Committee Chair Gottfried, deserve praise for calling for an independent study of fracking's health impacts. The Assembly is leading the charge to provide state leaders with the science necessary to make an informed decision about gas drilling. A full assessment of fracking's health impacts must be completed before a decision can be made about whether gas drilling is permitted in New York.

Both the State Senate and the Assembly earned our thanks for cutting budget language that would give Governor Cuomo authority to transfer resources between state agencies without legislative oversight. The Governor should not have the power to single-handedly create a fracking program without input from the Legislature.

We now call on Governor Cuomo, the State Senate, and the Assembly to protect New Yorkers from the dangers of fracking by mandating an independent health study and keeping the enacted budget frack-free."

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The New York Water Rangers campaign is supported by a network of organizations working to protect the rights and health of New Yorkers and one of our most precious environmental resources-water-from the dangers of irresponsible, poorly regulated and under-inspected natural gas exploration and development. The campaign is supported by Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Earthjustice, EARTHWORKS Oil & Gas Accountability Project, Environmental Advocates of New York, Environment New York, Fleased, Natural Resources Defense Council, Otsego 2000, and Riverkeeper. Visit www.CleanWaterNotDirtyDrilling.org to learn more.