Marcellus Shale News Compilation

Experts agree: Fracking moratorium 'symbolic'

The state Assembly's vote in favor of a six-month moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial drilling technique essential to tapping the natural gas reserves of the Marcellus Shale, is drawing mixed reactions from legislators and advocates on both sides of the drilling debate.

"We already have a de facto moratorium on horizontal hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale, and as far as I'm concerned, this really was a big mistake from the beginning," said Ithaca-based anti-drilling activist Walter Hang.

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Broome County Legislature rejects Inflection's $7.8M gas offer

A $7.8 million lease offer for the natural gas rights to thousands of acres of Broome County land was overwhelmingly rejected Thursday night by the Broome County Legislature.

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DEC voices concerns over Broome County natural gas lease review

BINGHAMTON -- A proposed plan for a state-mandated review of a Broome County natural gas lease drew concern from a Department of Environmental Conservation official in September, according to internal correspondence.

Betty Ann Hughes, then the DEC's chief of State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) and training, said in a pair of messages that without the county completing some analysis of "the potential impacts of typical development activities" on land offered for lease, she would be "concerned that the lease action and supporting SEQR record could be vulnerable to challenge."

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Arcuri Wants New York to Start Over on Fracking

Congressman Michael Arcuri focuses on fracking while meeting with voters in Oneonta.

Arcuri spoke to voters about the importance of drilling areas, and how many rigs can be set up in a mile radius.

He says New York needs to start over on addressing regulations for horizontal drilling, also called hydrofracking.

Arcuri says we must know how fracking will affect an active fault line.

The Congressman says monitoring fracking fluids is important to insure safety and keep our water clean.

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Hinchey joins opposition to drilling review

U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey said he hopes to draw a clear line between his stance on slickwater hydraulic fracturing and that of his opponent, George Phillips, in the race for the 22nd Congressional District.

Hinchey on Wednesday joined more than 10,000 others in signing a letter urging Gov. David Paterson to withdraw a draft environmental impact statement on oil and gas drilling in the state.

Hinchey signed the letter, drafted by local environmental activist and president of Ithaca company Toxics Targeting Walter Hang, at an event on The Commons.

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Arcuri joins call to withdraw DEC drilling statement

TRUMANSBURG -- Congressman Michael A. Arcuri has literally signed on to an effort activists believe will ensure safer natural-gas drilling in New York.

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DEC Commissioner Fired After Criticism of Layoffs Goes Public

ELMIRA-- New York's chief environmental officer was fired, after a memo critical of layoffs became public.

Governor Paterson's office confirmed the firing of State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis, who's led the agency since 2007. The governor's office instructed the DEC to cut another 209 workers by the end of the year.

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Drilling opponents struggle with choosing a candidate for governor

Cuomo still mostly quiet on the subject, activists say

Andrew Cuomo's stance is too vague.

Carl Paladino? He wants to drill, and the sooner, the better.

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Drilling opponents, supporters butt heads at EPA Forum

Meeting draws 900 to downtown Binghamton

By Jon Campbell
jcampbell1@gannett.com

BINGHAMTON -- About 900 stakeholders and public officials -- a far cry from the 8,000 originally estimated -- came to downtown Binghamton Monday for a daylong meeting that often became a showcase for the controversial natural gas drilling debate.

Two-hundred people got the chance to speak during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's meeting, which was organized to gather input on the scope of a multi-million-dollar study of hydraulic fracturing.