New Yorkers to Rally in Albany, Call on Gov. Paterson and State Leaders to Delay Natural Gas Drilling Rush

Rally in West Capitol Park Planned for January 25th

ALBANY, NY (01/25/2010)(readMedia)-- Today, hundreds of concerned New Yorkers will join state and county legislators and representatives from more than 20 environmental groups at a rally in West Capitol Park on the west side of the New York State Capitol to call attention to what is arguably the most pressing threat to the health of the state's environment-particularly our drinking water-the rush to drill for natural gas in the Southern Tier and Catskills regions.

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. In other parts of the country, fracking has poisoned drinking water and spilled toxic chemicals across landscapes.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is currently reviewing 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. EPA, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, and members of Congress, including Representatives Arcuri, Massa and Nadler, among others.

WHO:

Speakers include State Senator Duane; Assembly members Brennan, Kavanagh and Lifton; Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson; Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation; Dimock, PA resident Joyce Stone; Walter Hang, President of Toxics Targeting; and Al Appleton, Senior Fellow with the Regional Plan Association, among others.

Participating environmental and community groups include Action Otsego, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Earthjustice, Environmental Advocates of New York, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Riverkeeper, and Sierra Club-Atlantic Chapter, among others. 
WHAT:

This is the first time in 2010 that New Yorkers will come to Albany to call on Governor David Paterson and other state leaders to protect New York’s environment from the dangers of natural gas drilling.
WHEN: Monday January 25, 2010 at 11:00AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: West Capitol Park
West Side of the State Capitol
Albany , New York 12203
NOTES:

In the event of inclement weather, media availability set for 1pm in the Legislative Correspondents Association press room, Rm 130, Legislative Office Building.