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Marcellus Shale News Compilation

EPA questions fracking study

ALBANY — Opponents of natural gas hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, said Thursday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fired a shot across the bow of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

EPA Weighs in on New York Fracking Plan




"For some of the regulatory programs like if you were dumping gas drilling wastewater into a local municipal treatment plant, EPA is the principal authority," said Walter Hang, President of Toxics Targeting.

And Hang says the EPA has submitted almost twice as many comments as it did for the first SGEIS draft in 2009.

"The main concerns were failure to come up with a way to deal with this incredibly toxic wastewater, failure to protect drinking water, failure to protect radiologic hazards for both the worker and environment."

Fracking foes hope for EPA support

Ithaca -- For anti-hydraulic fracturing activists like Ithaca environmentalist Walter Hang, Tuesday was D-Day.

On the last day to submit comments on the state Department of Environmental Conservation's draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, those who oppose the use of the natural gas drilling method in New York gathered at rallies in major cities across the state.

EPA to Release Comments on Fracking




Wednesday marked the deadline for public comment on the state's environmental impact statement about fracking.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is readying comments for the state.

The EPA expects to release those comments before midnight Wednesday.

The agency delivered comments on a previous draft of the impact statement back in 2009.

Fracking opponents hope the EPA echoes their concerns.

Anti-Fracking Demonstration

In downtown Binghamton Tuesday morning, a group opposed to fracking set up shop on the sidewalk near the Holiday Inn Arena.

Cuomo gets earful from State of State protesters




ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting an earful from protesters as he prepares to deliver his State of the State speech, devoted in part to celebrating his first year in office.

Opponents of hydraulic fracturing are toting signs that say the Democrat can never be president if he can't protect the state's water supply.

They're against extracting natural gas from a reserve in upstate New York by injecting water and chemicals into shale formations.

Protesters ready for State of the State address

Walter Hang, president of Toxic Targeting and the organizer of today's protest, said he supports Comptroller DiNapoli's proposal to introduce a Natural Gas Damage Recovery Fund into SGEIS. This proposal, similar to the Oil Spill Fund, would ensure that companies are held responsible for accidents involving natural gas extraction. "The problem with the petroleum spill remediation fund is it doesn't have enough money. There are 140,000 spills in New York that don't meet the applicable standards. [DiNapoli's] current system is woefully inadequate," said Hang.

Hydrofracking opponents stake their ground




Among the politicians, lobbyists, local officials and press corps flooding the Empire State Plaza concourse for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s second State of the State address, several dozen anti-hydrofracking protesters are wielding signs with a message leaving little doubt who they’re targeting: “In 2014, we’ll remember.”

Another read: “Governor Cuomo, If you can’t protect NY water, you can’t become president.”

Mandate relief, drilling rules missing from Cuomo's speech, Tompkins observers note

Ithaca -- Leaders in Tompkins County were commenting more on what wasn't in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address Wednesday than what was in it.

Tompkins County Legislator Martha Robertson, D-Dryden, said she was disappointed Cuomo's speech lacked any mention of state mandate and Medicaid relief for local governments.

"He gets so much credit for the tax cap, and he promised that would come with mandate relief," Robertson said, noting that if a push for mandate relief doesn't come from the governor's office, it's not likely to start anywhere else.

Anti-Hydrofracking protestors gather outside State of State [AUDIO]



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More than 100 protestors opposed to hydrofracking gathered in the Empire State Plaza Wednesday outside the auditorium where Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his State of the State address, chanting "no fracking way!"

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