No Fracking In New York, Says DEC
Originally published on Red, Green and Blue
by Acadia Otlowski
Residents of New York state need not worry, there will be no fracking in New York.
The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) banned the practice by issuing the final document needed to ban the practice.
The state DEC has studied the controversial practice for seven years leading up to yesterday’s ban of high-volume hydraulic fracturing or fracking.
“High-volume hydraulic fracturing poses significant adverse impacts to land, air, water, natural resources and potential significant public health impacts that cannot be adequately mitigated. This decision is consistent with DEC’s mission to conserve, improve and protect our state’s natural resources, and to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens in a statement.
Recently, studies have drawn ties between fracking and well pollution, aquifer pollution and even minor earthquakes.
Fracking is the process in which a mix of water and other chemicals are injected in the ground to fracture the shale that holds natural gas.
The report suggests that there is no method of fracking that would make it safe for those living in the area where the fracking is done.
The push for anti-fracking policy was the result of environmental groups following New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to every public appearance he made for years until action was taken
New York state is currently the only state with a major shale formation to ban fracking. The state is becoming increasingly dependent on its neighbors for natural gas that is contained in the shale formations, causing critics to condemn the move.
These critics also say that by banning fracking, the state is missing out on major job opportunities.
“The Governor’s constrained path maintains the status quo on economic development – costing the Empire state,” said Karen Moreau, executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council, in an interview with Capital New York.
Industry advocates have said they will use the findings statement as the base for a lawsuit
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Video
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
