Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Dozens of people against hydraulic fracturing celebrated a win regarding the ban on fracking in New York.

People from various groups across the Southern Tier gathered in front of the State Office building in downtown Binghamton Thursday afternoon to say thanks and to talk about how their hard work has paid off.

"The science, as we've been talking about for many years, that brings us here, brings us to this place of victory and a New York state that will be frack-free," said Issac Silberman-Gorn, of Citizen Action.

Even former Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan (D) made the trip from Ithaca for the celebration and stood in the same spot where they've been protesting for so many years.

"We're here to praise the governor and what he did. We're very thankful for him listening to the science and leaving it up to the DEC and the health commissioner to make this decision," Ryan said.

For some, the decision was a welcome shock.

"I was shocked, I couldn't believe it. We worked so hard and so long, we brought so much information to the governor's attention, the DEC and the Department of Health. But I had no inkling that he would actually prohibit shale fracking in New York," said Walter Hang, the president of Toxics Targeting, of Ithaca.

After the rally, the group sent a thank you card and clean, frack-free water from the Southern Tier to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.