A state Supreme Court justice has struck down the City of Binghamton’s moratorium on fracking and related activities, reports the New York Times. But the same judge also affirmed that communities have the right to exclude drilling activities through zoning laws. The New York Times quotes state Supreme Court Justice Ferris Lebous’s decision, which according […]
high-volume hydraulic fracturing
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Another delay in fracking review
A technicality will probably delay New York’s decision on fracking until next year. Recently, state Department of Environmental Commissioner Joseph Martens announced that the state would study the potential health impacts of high-volume hydraulic fracturing. The effort will be led by Dr. Nirav Shah, commissioner of the state Department of Health. But the study means […]
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AP: Strong regulations not enough to prevent drilling problems
Earlier this week, Earthworks released a report criticizing the inspection practices of New York and other states where drilling is occurring. But the folks at Earthworks are not the only ones examining New York’s record of regulatory enforcement of gas and oil drilling. An Associated Press article published yesterday also calls the state’s enforcement efforts […]
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Some fracking stories worth checking out
Over the past few days, several significant news stories about fracking have emerged. In addition to the developments around New York’s review of the technique. Here’s a partial roundup. • A federal judge dismissed state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s lawsuit over fracking regulations for the Delaware River Basin. Schneiderman sued the Delaware River Basin Commission, […]
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Environmental group responds on fracking health study
Yesterday, state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens said that he wouldn’t agree to an independent health study of fracking. (See this post from yesterday for the statement.) Environmental and medical groups have called for such a study. They believe that high-volume hydraulic fracturing, a natural gas extraction technique that the state is reviewing, […]
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DEC Commissioner won’t agree to independent health study of fracking
New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens just released a statement saying that he will not agree to an independent public health study of fracking. Environmental groups along with some municipal officials and medical professionals had called for the study. Martens says that instead, state Health Commissioner Nirav Shah will assess the health […]
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Fracking fight — state vs. local
Officials in many New York communities have already passed laws to keep high-volume hydraulic fracturing outside of their limits. But the bans and moratoriums have raised a big question: if the state ultimately allows high-volume fracking, will the local protections survive? Ultimately, the courts will decide the matter. In fact, earlier this year a judge […]
