A new report from Common Cause/NY says that between 2007 and July 2013, pro-fracking interests outspent anti-fracking interests nine to one. The report, released yesterday, says that pro-fracking companies and groups contributed $15.4 million to political committees and spent $48.9 million on lobbying, while fracking opponents spent $1.9 million on political contributions and $5.4 million […]
Utica Shale
Posted inNews & Opinion
Shale gas drilling moratorium proposed in Assembly
Tomorrow could have been fracking decision day in New York, had the state Department of Environmental Conservation not missed a necessary deadline. Instead, the state’s review of fracking continues. Today, however, a group of Assembly members introduced new legislation that, if passed, would implement a moratorium on drilling in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. […]
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AP: Fracking not likely to start in 2013
An Associated Press report says that New York is unlikely to see the start of fracking in 2013, even if the state does green-light the process. The article gives two simple explanations. For one, industry officials expect that if the state OK’s high-volume hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in deep shale formations, getting a permit […]
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Utica’s gassy, but not like Marcellus
Recently, the US Geological Survey released its first estimate of “undiscovered, technically recoverable” natural gas in the Utica Shale: 38 trillion cubic feet. That’s a lot of gas, but for the sake of perspective, the estimate isn’t even half of the USGS estimate for the Marcellus Shale: 84 trillion cubic feet. The federal agency also […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
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 […]
