EcoWatch
With the looming deadline of Nov. 29 for finalizing regulations for fracking in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that the much-delayed decision on this contentious issue will be pushed into 2013.
The health impact review of shale gas drilling by national experts is what will make it impossible to meet the deadline. The Department of Environmental Conservation has been working on an environmental impact study and last week appointed a panel of three nationally recognized public health experts to review the state’s health impact study for fracking.
When asked yesterday at a press conference at the Javits Center in New York City, Cuomo said he doesn’t have a timeline for completion of the health review and fracking regulations, but he doesn’t expect it to be finished within the next week.
“This is a big decision for the state,” Cuomo said. “It has potential economic benefits if the state goes forward with fracking, but we want to make sure it’s safe and we want to make sure the environment is protected, people are protected and that’s why we’re doing a health assessment.”
“We are glad the Governor wants to ‘do this right,’” said Sandra Steingraber, a representative from the anti-fracking coalition New Yorkers Against Fracking. “People throughout New York do not want to be poisoned by fracking. We are confident that a thorough, independent review of the health impacts of fracking will show it can’t be done safely.”
The experts chosen for the health review were John Adgate, chairman of the Environmental and Occupational Health Department at the Colorado School of Public Health; Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services; and Richard Jackson, chairman of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California Los Angeles’ Fielding School of Public Health.
Visit EcoWatch’s FRACKING page for more related news on this topic.
Fracking for natural gas is NOT safe. Period.
Once again they push back a decision that is directly affecting New Yorkers health. Why delay a decision of this magnitude? To get it right? More like to continue profit from it in the mean time. I fight daily for those who have had their environments polluted by fracking. Here is a recent blog I wrote about the dangers of fracking and what can be done to stop it.
http://myadvocates.com/blog/fracking-lawsuits-may-be-best-weapon-against-polluters
Whatever “economic benefits” fracking brings the fossil corps will be far overwhelmed by the health costs of fracking and the climate costs of cheap gas preventing solar and wind from developing. Isn’t the $50 billion cost of Sandy enough to pry your eyes open, governor? The people have spoken. Heel!
NEW YORK! Please DO NOT FRACK!
Us Ohioan and Pennsylvanian fracking victim refugees need a clean place to relocate due to the hideous toxins in the water and air from the fracking and injection wells swarming us now… as well as our falling property values, sick and dying farm animals, earthquakes…all promised to be safe by the lying corporations! They are building fracking wells here RIGHT ON OUR DRINKING WATER RESERVOIRS! This is DOOM! NEW YORK! DO NOT FRACK! You will generate much more money by supporting clean sustainable energy! Solar, wind, geothermal!
http://www.frackfreeamerica.org
Fracking..the future superfund sites of our children………….
It’s here folks. Houston,Texas is on reprocessed waste water piped in from Dallas and has now found naturally occuring Uranium and Radium in the water. The general population has higher rates of the Bic “C” for awhile now. And they are going to have to buy the water off T-Boone to refine the Tar Oil. The city cannot afford to fix the water pipes (40% damaged) because the Oil Boys will not give ‘em any Tax Money.
It boggles my mind that the Govenor of the state of New York needs to wait for more impact studies .All he needs to do is get into his limo and drive to Dimok P.A case closed. But I fear he took the money from the gas companys like most of are public officals . If mr Cuomo is truly for are health and safety he must ban fracking.
As a matter of fact I dare the Gov. Cuomo to go to Dimok P.A. and please take as many press as you can or dare to. Then come back and tell me you need more studies. As for jobs for the locals you will find very few if any of the workers on these sites are locals most are from out of state. So man up and except my dare I would be glad to go with you.