Riverkeeper Joins Grassroots at Fracking Rally in Albany
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Today, almost one hundred organizations and professionals, stand together to oppose the plan that was leaked to The New York Times last week, which would establish a demonstration program for high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” in parts of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Steuben and Tioga counties.
We are here to deliver the message that any decision on whether or not to frack anywhere in New York State cannot and should not be made before the impacts to our health, environment and economy have been comprehensively and properly assessed.
The current version of the state’s draft environmental review is incomplete and inadequate. There is no evaluation of the negative socioeconomic impacts that would affect the quality of life and resources of any community in which fracking might occur. Numerous serious scientific concerns that have been raised in thousands of comments submitted by our groups and others remain as yet unanswered by the DEC. Nor has the state committed, to date, to commissioning an independent health impact assessment that will evaluate the full range of potential health impacts and identify particularly vulnerable populations. (We know the state is now considering such a study and we urge them again today to take this action).
Until we have a complete and independent study of the impacts to public health and the environment and the costs to our communities, the state is simply not in a position to make a decision on whether fracking should be permitted in New York.
All of the groups here today also want to deliver the message that New York has the opportunity to both revitalize the statewide economy and meet its energy needs through the development of clean, sustainable energy sources, including solar, wind, and energy efficiency. We all believe our focus now should be maximizing New York’s potential to become a national – and international – leader through establishment of a vibrant renewable energy policy. We stand here today willing to assist New York in making a clean energy future a reality.
Riverkeeper is honored to be a part of this broad coalition. We stand together in opposition to moving forward with fracking at this time on any terms. Thank you.
You can read more about this at Ecowatch.org.
