Pittsfield, NY Votes to NOT Ban Fracking

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While attending the first ever Natural Gas Career and Education Expo held at Broome Community College yesterday, MDN learned of some good news—news that does not get reported by local or statewide media. Board members for the Town of Pittsfield, NY voted earlier this week to table a measure that would ban fracking. Pittsfield is a small township in Otsego County, not far from Middlefield where a lawsuit is underway to overturn a fracking ban there.

Both pro- and anti-drilling advocates attended the board meeting where board members asked each side a number of questions. The topic of potential litigation came up, and it was pointed out that Pittsfield has less than $1,000 in its budget for legal expenses. An almost certain legal challenge to a ban would cost the town many times that to defend.

So in the end, board members voted to table further consideration of a ban, effectively killing the effort—at least until the Middlefield and Dryden cases are decided in New York’s Appellate Court.