New York has a unique opportunity to learn from the unfortunate experiences of others in states that decided to move forward with fracking before understanding what the health and human costs would be. As New York’s Commissioner of Health declared just weeks ago: “The time to ensure the impacts on public health are properly considered is before a state permits drilling.”
Responding to that call, on March 5 Senator David Carlucci and other members of the Independent Democratic Conference showed the leadership to introduce a bill (S.4046) to institute a moratorium on fracking in New York in order to give the state the time it needs to evaluate crucial data from studies currently examining the health effects of fracking. Passage of this bill by the Senate would go a long way to ensuring that the health of New Yorkers is put first and that the science on health impacts is what informs any decision on whether to allow fracking to move forward in New York.
But this critical legislation will go nowhere in the Senate unless other senators step up to support Senator Carlucci’s bill. Please urge your Senator to co-sponsor this moratorium bill and press Senate leadership to bring the bill to the floor so that a vote on this critical bill, and on the importance of protecting the health of all New Yorkers, can actually happen.
Help us build support for this legislation in order to ensure its consideration and a VOTE by the full Senate. Contact your New York State Senator now and ask him/her to co-sponsor and vote for Senator Carlucci’s moratorium bill!