(NY) State Senate votes to delay hydrofracking

[deminks]

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2010/August/04/frack_StSen-04Aug10.html

ALBANY – A midnight vote by the State Senate has passed a measure that would place a moratorium on hydrofracking for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation for 11 months.

The 48 yes votes included 15 Republicans, among them Hudson Valley Senators John Bonacic of Mount Hope and Stephen Saland of Poughkeepsie.

Ulster County Legislator Susan Zimet, who was among the leaders of a statewide effort to have the moratorium approved, said the bill was “DOA three weeks ago until our press conference.” Among the participants who urged the 11 month delay were folk singer Pete Seeger of Beacon and actor Mark Ruffalo of Sullivan County.

The State Assembly is expected to take up the bill in September.

Opponents of hydrofracking say the process of pumping chemicals under intense pressure into the shale formation would contaminate drinking water supplies, including the New York City system in the Catskills.

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[Altoid_Cyclist]

1. But at least we haven't had any accidents or violations in PA by the gas exploration parasites.

Oh wait a minute..... These are both in today's paper and there are a lot more from recent news outlets. May we borrow NY's lawmakers for a while? Ours are already bought off by the oil and gas industry.

Marcellus drilling report tallies 1,400 violations
August 3, 2010 - AP
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A report from a Pennsylvania environmental group says companies drilling for natural gas in the lucrative Marcellus shale have tallied more than 1,400 violations of state rules since January 2008.


Monday's report from the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association says 952 violations had environmental implications.


According to the report, the state Department of Environmental Protection has recorded 100 violations of Pennsylvania's Clean Stream Law, 268 violations related to waste water reservoirs and 154 violations for discharging industrial waste.


The report is based on a right-to-know request filed by the group for DEP enforcement records.

More here: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/114805/Marcellus-drilling-report-tallies-1-400-violations.html?isap=1&nav=757

And then there's this story.

Cabot flees gas drilling stoppage in NE Pa.
August 3, 2010 - AP
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SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A newspaper says a natural gas exploration company is giving up on drilling in a portion of northeastern Pennsylvania where a multistate water regulatory body isn't granting permits.

The Times-Tribune of Scranton reported Tuesday that Cabot Oil & Gas is selling the rights to its acreage in Wayne and Pike counties.

It has about 9,200 acres there.

The Houston-based company says it'll focus on Susquehanna County, where it has drilled more than 100 wells and been repeatedly penalized by state regulators for polluting residential water wells and spilling chemicals.

More here: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/114791/Cabot-flees-gas-drilling-stoppage-in-NE-Pa-.html?isap=1&nav=757