We, the undersigned, write respectfully to request that you withdraw the Marcellus Shale Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) because it is nearly five years old, lacks any current information whatsoever and would inadequately protect New York from fracking hazards.
In 2008, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) decided not to permit shale fracking until a Final SGEIS was adopted to safeguard public health and the environment. That de facto moratorium has prevented even one shale gas production well from ever being fracked in our state.
The original Draft SGEIS was proposed in 2009 and is based on a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) adopted nearly 22 years ago. The Draft SGEIS is based on a scoping proceeding undertaken six years ago. A Revised Draft SGEIS was released nearly three years ago and has never been updated.
Given the long delay in adopting the Draft SGEIS, it lacks any current information. As a result, it fails to assess hundreds of recent investigations, studies and reports that have significantly expanded the scientific understanding of shale fracking’s pollution impacts.
Most importantly, the “health impact analysis” in the Draft SGEIS reflects information that is nearly five years old. That is ancient by scientific investigation standards.
Given these shortcomings, it would be inappropriate to make a decision to permit shale fracking in New York based on a Draft SGEIS that is too old and outdated to fulfill that purpose.
That is why we respectfully request that you:
a) Withdraw the Draft SGEIS;
b) Halt your State Department of Health (DOH) “review” of the dated “health impact analysis” in the Draft SGEIS;
c) Instruct your DOH to undertake a comprehensive shale fracking “Public Health Impact Study” openly and transparently using all available current data;
d) Require DOH and DEC to utilize the findings of the “Public Health Impact Study” to propose and adopt a new Generic Environmental Impact Statement. That is precisely what the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended in 2009. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/sites/default/files/Marcellus_dSGEIS_Comment_Letter_plus_Enclosure_0.pdf
Against that background, New York has an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate the fossil fuel extraction hazards that have plagued our state for nearly 200 years. Only one natural gas well was drilled and “completed” for production in New York during all of 2013, the most recent year for which DEC permitting information is publicly available.
According to DEC's data, statewide natural gas production has now fallen to the level of 25 years ago. New York’s natural gas production plunged from 54,916 million cubic feet (mmcf) in 2007 to 26,424 mmcf in 2012. That is a 52% decline. The recent natural gas boom has essentially gone bust.
DEC’s data also document that oil production in New York has plummeted for 70 years and recently reached the lowest production levels in a century. All the oil extracted in New York in a day would not even fill one backyard swimming pool.
See: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/12anrpt.pdf
To achieve the goal of protecting New Yorkers from fossil fuel extraction hazards, we request that you halt improper gas/oil wastewater disposal practices involving landspreading as well as brine pit dumping and adopt strict toxic clean up liability, private right of legal action and financial surety requirements to allow citizens to protect themselves in the absence of strict regulatory oversight.
Until this comprehensive plan of action has been implemented, we request that New York’s shale fracking moratorium remain in full effect.
Thank you for considering our respectful request. We look forward to receiving your prompt reply.
Very best regards,
john lord
Mr.
861 Drewville Road
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Peter Marcus
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Ardsley, NY |
Jay Blackman
MoveOn.org
1566 Gary St.
East Meadow, NY |
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35 Summit Avenue, #2H
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Michael Sarver
Mr.
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Croton on Hudson, NY |
K Stokem
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Castleton on Hudson, NY |
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Alpine, NY |
Eloise Linger
CCL and others
68 Caldwell Street
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Trout Trout
An Herbalife Member Belongs To A Giant Group
Hans-Grade-Allee 35
Bad Segeberg, SH |
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884 West End Ave #4
New York, NY |
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New City, NY |
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167 Madison St.
Brooklyn, NY |
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NYRAD
1617 State Route 12
BINGHAMTON, New York |
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9 East Miller Rd.
Ithaca , NY |
Robert Walpole
Romulus, NY |
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Retired Teacher
116 W. Yates Street
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87 Erb St.
Buffalo, New York |
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209 Leroy St.
Binghamton, New York |
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56 Little york Rd
Warwick, NY |
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Sierra Club
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6637 snake road
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P.O. Box 690
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Gasport, NY |
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Bronxville, NY |
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New York, NY |
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8782 Ridge Rd
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Ithaca, NY |
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443 2nd Street Apt. 3R
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Karl wokan
1952 Glenwood road
vestal, New York |
Alicia Alexander
Co-Founder
GoGreenNY
136 Hunt Hill Road
Ithaca, New York |
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2697 Smith Rd.
Hamilton, NY |
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8700 Ridge Rd
Hammondsport, New York |
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194 Clickman Rd
Westerlo, NY |
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692 Oliver Road
Meshoppen, Pa |
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1117 Lake Como Road
Cortland, NY 13045 |
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cenie cafarelli
56 , Rand Place
Pittsford, NY |
Valerie Carlisle
Ms.
83 Mountain Road
Pleasant Valley, NY |
Gail Musante
S-OACC ( Sanford-Oquaga Area Concerned Citizens)
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Deposit, NY |
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Farmington, NY |
Peter Coleman
58 Shadyside Avenue
Staten Island, New York |
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7698 State Route 52
Narrowsburg, New York |
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Mrs.
31 Hanford Street
Middletown, NY |
Fred Wilcox
Professor
212 Second
Ithaca, New York |
John Berg
110 Cottage Street
Buffalo, NY |
James Little
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Western Broome Environmental Stakeholder Coalition
522 Winston Drive
Endwell , New York |
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PO Box 870
Goshen, NY - New York |