![Breakfast with Bill](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141023160812im_/http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/wp-content/themes/brennuis-magazine/brennuis/images/carousel-default-img.png)
BUFFALO—Gov. Andrew Cuomo turned a few heads at the WNED-TV studio when he appeared to set a deadline on the state’s ongoing review of hydraulic fracturing, saying the state’s long-running analysis of the technique should be completed “by the end of the year.”
The state first launched a review of large-scale hydrofracking for natural gas in 2008, and the technique has been on hold in New York since. In September 2012, Cuomo’s administration tasked the state Department of Health with completing a separate layer of review, which continues today.
When asked about his remark after the debate, Cuomo repeated it.
“I said it should be done by the end of the year,” Cuomo said. “But I have previously said we expect it to be done by the end of the year.”
Cuomo had previously said that he expected the work to be completed by Election Day, but later backed off that statement. He has repeatedly said the review would be finished when state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker and Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens are done with work.
(Photo by Carlos Ortiz/Democrat and Chronicle)
5 Comments
http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2014/10/22/cuomo-astorino-spar-over-corruption-economy-hud/comment-page-1/#comment-402330
Cuomo can not be taken for his word he is a coward and as two faced as they come. I believe natural gas drilling will come to NY but I also believe that the undo and unnecessary delays have caused great hardships on the state of NY, on the farmers and on the landowners. The science is in It has been in and even as Maryland is the newest of 31 states now drilling there is no excuse for the delaying of drilling in NYS by Cuomo as every US Regulatory system has stated that Fracking is safe
What further proof is needed that the Governor’s decision is a purely political one, not one based on the science?
Cuomo and his puppet health commissioner Shah lied before when they claimed that the review would be done “in a few weeks”, and that was years ago. This lying sack must go!
Even if “done” there is a long way to go, but I would say that towns worried about possible fracking should get their bans in place soon. However, there will be at least one public hearing and should be several in different locations, and a public comment period that allows all of us to review the huge documents including the so-called health study and the Health Department’s review of it. We also needs to see DEC’s responses to the flood of comments they received from us at the end of 2011 and 2012. And then regulations should be adopted that are consistent with the SGEIS. And then let the lawsuits from both sides begin.
The last twenty months have seen a flood of important peer-reviewed independent science studies published. Yet, we have no indication that the DEC has been continually updating the draft SGEIS. If they haven’t, at this point the document is so outdated as to be worthless. If they have, the changes to the SGEIS must be so extensive as to warrant another public comment period and set of revisions before the final decision can be made. At least the health review should be opened for public comment and hearings as it has not been seen by the public at all. Given that new scientific studies are being published every month, a process should be put in place to incorporate new findings as they become available.