From the Tompkins Co Human Services Listserv
*Tompkins Gas Drilling Concerns Communicated at New York City Session*
Tompkins County concerns about natural gas drilling in the Marcellus
shale were aired, as federal, state and local legislators, representing
districts across New York State gathered on the steps of New York City
Hall today, joining environmentalists to express concern about the
State’s proposed regulatory document issued by the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC). Speakers maintained the draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) is seriously
inadequate and called for a complete study of gas drilling’s cumulative
impacts on water, air, and land.
Tompkins County, represented by Legislator Martha Robertson, was the
only county government to participate, invited by the Sierra Club
Atlantic Chapter, organizer of the event. Other speakers included
Congressmen Eric Massa, Michael Arcuri and Jerrold Nadler, State
Senators Tom Duane and Eric Schneiderman, and Assemblymen James Brennan
and William Colton, as well as a number of New York City officials.
While unable to attend, local Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton was one who
submitted a written statement of support.
Many of the legislators added their voices to the request 25
environmental organizations made to Governor Paterson last month asking
the Governor to withdraw the dSGEIS.
Communicating the County’s concerns about gas drilling at today’s
event, Legislator Robertson said that many questions about drilling
remain to be answered: “Even with the toughest safeguards, is
extracting Marcellus gas the /smart /thing to do? We are told that
using natural gas will reduce global warming because it's 'cleaner'
than coal. However this is only true if the emissions from extraction
are NOT included, and if there are no leaks in the system… Drilling the
Marcellus Shale may increase New York's greenhouse gas emissions, not
reduce them. Can we afford to proceed without knowing?”
Last month, the Tompkins County Legislature by unanimous vote approved
comments to the DEC that maintained that the DEC’s proposed drilling
regulations are too lax and do not address cumulative impacts; and
expressed concern that drilling could harm the area’s water supply, air
quality, land use, and highway infrastructure. The Legislature urged
that the entire process be reevaluated and that no drilling be
permitted using the hydraulic fracturing technique until an adequate
environmental review is completed.
/Contact: Legislator Martha Robertson, 607-592-3119/ or/ 607-272-0584./
*- END -*
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