New York's Oil and Gas Industry Submits Comments on Future Natural Gas Exploration

IOGA asks for more clarity on technical issues, presses DEC to complete the SGEIS

by Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York

ALBANY, NY (12/31/2009)(readMedia)-- The Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY) formally asked state regulators to make certain technical revisions and clarifications to the official set of rules that will govern natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale. At the same time, the association called on regulators to hasten the review and approval process or risk continued and significant economic loss for New York.

In a letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, IOGA of NY Executive Director Brad Gill restated the industry's strong record in protecting the environment and reminded the DEC of the high regulatory bar New York has already set in overseeing oil and gas production. Today is the deadline to submit comments on DEC's Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS), which governs natural gas exploration and extraction.

"New York needs to implement reasonable environmental safeguards, but do so quickly to enable New Yorkers to benefit from this natural resource and the potential economic benefits," wrote Gill, who added that operators in New York have an excellent track record protecting the environment.

IOGA's comments pertain to aspects of the dSGEIS that the association considers to be unrealistic, unclear, overstated or not specific or strong enough. IOGA comments on several sections, including the permitting process, water usage, hydraulic fracturing fluid storage, drilling in the New York City watershed and potential health impacts.

IOGA of NY, a trade association founded in 1980 to protect, foster and advance the common interests of oil and gas producers, professionals and related industries in New York. Visit IOGA on the web and sign a petition in support of natural gas exploration at iogany.org or marcellusfacts.com. To date, IOGA has collected nearly 3,000 signatures from residents who support expanded exploration.

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