Gillibrand Calls For Extended Public Comment Period On Marcellus Shale Drilling

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today called for an extended public comment period on the natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. New York State released their Environmental Impact Statement late last month and will begin a series of public meetings on October 28. Currently, New York State is only providing two months for public comment. Due to the significance and complexity of this issue and the high degree of public interest in hydraulic fracturing, Senator Gillibrand is urging New York State to extend the public comment period to 90 days.

"The Marcellus Shale represents a tremendous economic opportunity for New York, and I commend DEC for recognizing the importance of harvesting and producing new sources of energy to address the growing need for energy throughout the state. However, our quest for new sources of energy and potential economic growth should not come at the expense of good, clean air and safe drinking water for all New Yorkers," Senator Gillibrand wrote in her letter to New York Governor David Paterson. "New York has an abundant supply of fresh, clean water, and we must learn from the accidents that other states have already experienced to avoid damage to our own precious natural resources."

Hydraulic fracturing, a common technique used for drilling oil and gas wells, is a process where fluids are injected at high pressure into underground rock formations to blast them open and increase the flow of fossil fuels. Fracking is used to drill for natural gas from Marcellus Shale in other states. The injections use a mixture of water and sand, along with a cocktail of chemicals including diesel fuel, benzene, industrial solvents and other carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. There have been numerous incidents of well water contamination and spills related to fracking operations in other states.

Due to the significance and complexity of this issue and the high degree of public interest in hydraulic fracturing, Senator Gillibrand is urging New York State to extend the public comment period to 90 days. She also called on the State to hold hearings and solicit comments in each of New York's major cities, as well as communities directly within affected watersheds. Senator Gillibrand believes these public hearings are critical to allowing the public an outlet to provide meaningful comments, and to express concerns and suggestions.

In addition, Senator Gillibrand is working with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) on the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act, which would repeal a Bush Administration exemption provided for the oil and gas industry and would require them to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Currently, the oil and gas industry is the only industry granted an exemption from complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Without additional federal protections, New York State would be solely responsible to handle potential adverse impacts associated with high volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. Congressman Maurice Hinchey is the sponsor of the House version of this bill.

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