Tuesday, June 30, 2015

NEW YORK STATE OFFICIALLY BANS HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FOR SHALE GAS EXTRACTION

On June 28, 2015, New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation released a Formal Finding Statement officially prohibiting hydraulic fracturing in New York. In the statement, the state DEC found that the “No-Action alternative” is the only appropriate alternative to consider knowing that hydraulic fracturing would significantly impact protection of the environment and resources, and public health while weakening economic and social benefits.

This is a statement based on a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing released in May 13, 2015 by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Culminating a process that started in 2009, the state DEC points out important uncertainties, according to the Final SGEIS, that come into play when considering the impact on public health and the environment.

On December 17, 2014, New York Governor Cuomo announced a ban on hydraulic fracturing in the aftermath of a Public Health Review of the DEC’s draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement that was released the same day. The Finding Statement issued on June 28 made official Governor Cuomo’s decision to ban hydraulic fracturing.

Further information is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/75370.html.

Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
06/30/2015

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