NYT: Kerfuffle Among Anti-Drilling Groups in New York

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A surprisingly balanced article in the New York Times yesterday takes a look at the anti-drilling movement in New York State. The article, written by Peter Applebome, focuses on the “divide” in the anti-drilling movement between those who want strict drilling laws in New York versus those who want to ban drilling outright.

Some national organizations, like the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Nature Conservancy support strong regulations on the theory that gas drilling will eventually happen, and they want a seat at the table to influence how it happens. But statewide and local groups, like Catskill Mountainkeeper, Frack Action, and Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy are putting their energy into an outright ban. The article explores the different positions staked out by each faction.

MDN believes there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the two factions, and at the end of the day, the Times article is much ado about nothing, as interesting as it is. In fact, the last paragraph of the story makes MDN’s point:

“You have a lot of bricks being thrown at the national organizations, but I don’t really think there’s as much difference as some people want to see,” said Bruce Ferguson, a founding member of Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, which supports a ban. “No one wants to see fracking go forward under the current regime or the way it’s being done in Pennsylvania. Everyone agrees on that.”*

Still, the article is worth a read. Click on the link below.

*New York Times (Jan 9, 2012) – Drilling Critics Face a Divide Over the Goal of Their Fight