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Fracking opponents celebrate ban in Binghamton
Members of the anti-drilling coalition gather today to support Wednesday's decision by New York to block fracking.
Up until 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, many leaders of New York's anti-fracking movement were convinced the state was going to approve a pilot program in Broome and nearby counties using the controversial drilling method.
Conflicting rumors swirled that morning after it was first reported the state would make an announcement on natural gas exploration. Drilling opponents said they feared they had lost the first round in their six-year battle to ban fracking in New York.
Only when Acting Health Commissioner Howard Zucker urged the state to prevent fracking from moving forward did opponents feel relief.
"I never thought this would happen," said Walter Hang of the Ithaca-based Toxics Targeting during a celebration rally Thursday in front of the Binghamton State Office Building.
About 20 members of the anti-drilling coalition gathered to sign a "thank you" card that was delivered to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's representatives in Binghamton.
On Wednesday, Zucker and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens said after a comprehensive review of scientific studies examining the environmental effects of fracking, they could not recommend New York proceed with the practice of extracting natural gas from shale formations deep beneath the ground.
The recommendation effectively blocks natural gas drilling using the fracking technique in New York.
"This is a victory for the people of Southern Tier, the people of New York and it is cause for celebration," said Isaac Silberman-Gorn, a community organizer for Citizen Action in Binghamton.
Drilling supporters, however, were angered by the determination, saying the state failed to consider evidence indicating that natural gas exploration using horizontal drilling techniques could be done safely with the proper regulations and monitoring.
They point to the more than 30 other states, including California, where fracking has been approved, creating an abundance of newly discovered natural gas and petroleum.
Hydraulic fracturing uses a mixture of water, sand and chemicals to fracture shale formation up to a mile or more underground to release trapped natural gas.
Broome County Executive Debbie Preston said the decision to block fracking will cost municipalities along the gas-rich Marcellus Shale millions of dollars in potential tax revenue, closing off tax relief from beleaguered homeowners.
Additionally, she said, drilling would have spurred development in a region that has suffered from job losses over at least the past 10 years.
"I still think it can be done safely," Preston said. Only a short distance from her own Conklin home, Preston said Pennsylvania-based drills are tapping the resource that now is off-limits for her New York neighbors.
A ban may also have a potential effect on real estate values, said Preston, a Republican. Now that drilling is prohibited in New York, properties that were assessed on the basis of the potential income from gas resources believed to be underneath the ground could possibly appeal for reduced valuations.
The move by the state's top health and environmental regulators is the culmination of a decision-making process that has stretched through more than six years, two governors, several layers of review, numerous missed deadlines and countless protests and rallies across the state.
It represents a major victory for fracking critics, many of whom have trailed Cuomo, a Democrat, at events for the past four years. New York becomes the first state with significant shale reserves to move toward a formal fracking ban.
Celebrating the fracking ban
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.
Anti-Fracking Activists Celebrate Victory
Anti-fracking activists took a victory lap Thursday, celebrating the Cuomo administration's decision to ban fracking in New York.
They met in front of Government Plaza in Binghamton Thursday afternoon before delivering a thank you card and a jug of clean water to Cuomo's satellite office in the State Office Building. The activists present said it was their efforts that raised enough questions about fracking to force the state to look at the issue and ultimately decide against it.
"I had no inkling that he would actually prohibit shale fracking in New York. This is just a stunning decision and it's going to set a precedent for the whole country," said Walter Hang, President of Toxics Targeting.
"I think it's a game changer all across the nation to see a Governor and a Health Department and a Department of Environmental Conservation stand up to say, 'We're not going to do the pollution and find out the consequences later,'" said former Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan.
Ryan says the state can now be a leader in clean energy, a sector he believes could produce a number of good jobs.
A Chat on New York’s Shale Gas Ban with Anti-Fracking Superhero Mark Ruffalo
The actor Mark Ruffalo, who lives near the Delaware River in upstate New York, campaigning against shale gas drilling in 2011.
On Twitter early this morning, I had a productive exchange about Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s decision to ban shale gas development in New York with Mark Ruffalo, the actor best known for playing the Marvel comic character Hulk.
Ruffalo, who lives near the Delaware River in the upstate New York region that was targeted for shale gas drilling, is one of many prominent public figures who pressed Cuomo long and hard to ban hydraulic fracturing, popularly known as fracking.
We both would love to see a post-fossil energy menu for New York, and the planet, in coming years but differ on how to achieve that goal. Our differences emerged two years ago in comment exchanges (scan them here) on a David Roberts post at Grist on “The Virtues of Being Unreasonable on Keystone” (the pipeline that would bring Canadian tar sands oil to American refineries).
Here’s our chat, with some Twitter-speak cleaned up (Ruffalo was happy to have it posted here), and a takeaway thought from me:
The discussion began when I noted this:
Ruffalo (appropriately) spread the credit more broadly:
I agreed there were many involved, including organizers like Walter Hang, a longtime toxic-site consultant based in Ithaca (I’ve credited him for identifying regulatory weaknesses, for example).
Ruffalo singled out some others:
Then we shifted to energy and environmental policy. I noted that overarching arguments about national or state energy and regulatory policy can’t compete against the political intensity that comes from those resisting an industrial-style activity in a populous region with a bucolic setting:
Ruffalo added another element, a reference to an all-renewable energy plan for New York State created by Stanford University’s Mark Jacobson and others (discussed on Dot Earth here):
I noted that it’s hard to see a state shale-gas drilling ban meaningfully affecting a path to new energy options as long as the state is importing vast amounts of gas from other regions for both industry and household use:
He challenged this argument, saying a roadmap is vital:
I agreed on the value of a vision (see Dot Earth for my caveats):
We shifted to other factors that influenced the decision, with Ruffalo noting that big environmental groups, some of which have supported natural gas as a transitional fuel, were pressured as well:
I brought up how low natural gas prices from expanded gas production elsewhere were likely involved (a point long hammered by the No Fracking Way blogger Chip Northrup):
Ruffalo’s response:
He also noted that he was working to help Jacobson and others press the case for a national renewable energy plan, The Solutions Project:
Ruffalo also stressed New York’s progress on expanding solar power (which has been substantial):
I mentioned, from personal experience with our new old house in the Hudson Valley, that there are still difficulties with solar affordability:
He suggested one clean-energy option, buying renewable energy through Ethical Electric:
I said I’d check it out and have done so, and we’re switching from Central Hudson to wind-generated power from this provider for the next 12 months.
My takeaway from Cuomo’s decision and my chat with Ruffalo is that progress on environmental and energy policy in the United States emerges from a never-ending, and normal, tussle involving a mix of activism, law, economic realities, scientific and technological advances (both in developing energy sources cleanly and tracking problems), improving transparency (which is far greater now, even in places like Wyoming, than a few years ago), politics and lots of communication.
With communication in mind, Twitter is one path that I still contend is worthwhile. You can follow Ruffalo at @MarkRuffalo and me at @Revkin. Our full chat is here if you have time. We explored a couple of additional threads.
This may all be ugly at times, but the trajectories are in the right direction.
Mixed Emotions After Fracking Decision
NEW YORK STATE (WENY) - Deep shale hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale has been a topic that's divided opinions across the state.
And after years of controversy, protesting, and countless studies, New York State finally gave us an answer on fracking.
Early next year, Governor Cuomo's administration will move to prohibit fracking in the state, which has been on moratorium since 2008.
A few of the big reasons include unresolved health issues and questionable economic benefits.
Cuomo said he is deferring to Enviornmental Commissioner Joe Martens and Acting Health Commissioner Howard Zucker in making the decision. Martens said he recommends a ban.
On Wednesday, Martens and Zucker summarized the findings of their enviornmental and health reviews. They said shale gas development using high-volume hydraulic fracturing carried unacceptable risks that haven't been sufficiently studied.
The Department of Enviornmental Conservation will put out a final environmental impact statement early next year, and then issue an order prohibiting fracking.
The decision was good news for long-time opponents of the controversial topic, but many believe it robs people and the area of economic opportunities.
For New York farmers, the possibility of freacking meant profits.
Many farmers across the state leased their land, or allowed for mineral rights, hoping one day fracking would be allowed....and now that day won't come any time soon.
Ashur Terwilliger, President of the Chemung County Farm Bureau says although he had the opportunity to lease his land, he never did because the deal wasn't right. But he said, the profits would have been helpful with keeping his local farm in business and passing it on to his grandchildren in the future. For those who did sign leases, the next step is still unknown.
But Terwilliger said the benefits of fracking in the state would have gone beyond just the farmers - it would help the entire area.
And the county agrees. Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli said being on the border of Pennsylvania, the county has seen slight benefits. But they were ready for more.
"It certainly doesn't help the investment of jobs here in New York," Santulli said, "But again the governor's made a decision and that's it."
On the other hand, those who strongly oppose fracking were thrilled with today's decision because the possible health hazards were bigger than the economic benefits.
Walter Hang, the President of Toxics Targeting, said today's decision was an unbelievable victory.
"I think they've made a clear decision that the environmental and public health hazards of shale fracking can not be managed," Hang said. "They're not even known in their entirety, and so they've made a very historic decision to proceed cautiously, and because they don't know it can be done safely they're simply not going to allow it anywhere in New York."