NY State Plans for Industrial Gas Drilling in NYC Watershed
October 2, 2009
Riverkeeper Team
September 30, 2009
Contact: Craig Michaels, Watershed Program Director
914-422-4410
NEW YORK STATE RELEASES DRAFT IMPACT STATEMENT ON GAS DRILLING
GOOD FAITH EFFORT FALLS SHORT OF FULLY PROTECTING DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES
Tarrytown, NY - Today the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a draft environmental impact statement (DSGEIS) that, when finalized, will regulate natural gas drilling across the state. While the State deserves credit for making what appears, at first glance, to be a good faith effort to provide additional protections for drinking water supplies, Riverkeeper believes the DEC’s DSGEIS may not go far enough to ensure protection of the New York City Watershed, which provides drinking water to nine million New York residents each day. Recent evidence of gas drilling accidents and contamination in states like Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, and Pennsylvania suggests that this is a risky technology that does not belong in a surface drinking water supply.
“From everything we’ve learned about the hazards of hydraulic fracturing, it is difficult to imagine how any restrictions will be sufficient to safeguard surface drinking water supplies,” said Riverkeeper president Alex Matthiessen. “While we will reserve making an ultimate judgment until we have thoroughly reviewed the draft environmental statement, we are highly skeptical of any regulations that fall short of a permanent ban on hydraulic fracturing for sensitive water supply areas such as the New York City Watershed.”
Environmentalists have continually urged Governor Paterson and the DEC to proceed cautiously and provide an extended public comment period. The sixty days offered by the DEC is the bare minimum and should be extended to at least 90 or 120 days. Riverkeeper also calls on the Governor to hold a minimum of three public hearings in New York City, where eight million residents depend on the Catskill/Delaware watershed for 90% of their daily drinking water.
The purpose of the DSGEIS released today is to analyze the potential environmental impacts that may result from allowing drilling in the Marcellus shale. Riverkeeper is currently reviewing the document and will submit detailed comments before the close of the public comment period.
This past summer, Riverkeeper issued 4 volumes of its Industrial Gas Drilling Reporter, which compiles information from around the country associated with hydraulic fracturing, including hundreds of reports about drinking water contamination in states where industrial gas drilling already occurs.
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