Dryden & Middlefield NY Drilling Bans Officially Appealed

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scales of justiceAn update on the two New York lawsuits recently decided in lower courts that upheld local municipal bans on hydraulic fracturing and gas drilling:

The notice of appeal and related papers were transmitted for filing and served Thursday to appeal the Dryden decision. A motion to renew in the Middlefield case to bring newly discovered records concerning the legislative history of the supersedure provision before Judge Cerio was also transmitted Thursday. The notice of appeal and related papers to appeal the Middlefield decision will be served Friday.*

So both cases, it seems, will appeal to the next higher court—which is good news for landowners.

For a backgrounder on the Dryden case, see this MDN story. For a backgrounder on the Middlefield decision, see this MDN story.

There will be an informational meeting in Oneonta, NY about the court cases and the concept of “home rule” in New York tomorrow (Saturday):

Informational Meeting on Home Rule: Legal Ramifications and Landowners’ Options
Carriage House (Fraiser’s old Garden center on Old Southside Dr., Oneonta, NY)
March 31, 2012: Session 1 at 3:00PM, Session 2 at 6:00PM (both sessions are the same so you need only attend one)

Speakers :

  • Greg Sovas – One of the Original Authors of ECL Article 23 – Legislative History of Oil and Gas Development in NY
  • Ed Zangel – Local Attorney and Geologist – State Pre-emption and Home Rule
  • Andrew Hunter – Professor, Economist and Engineer from Cornell University – Economics and the Technology of Oil and Gas Development
  • Alan Springett – Hydrologist – Hydrology and the Environment of Natural Gas
  • Susan Dorsey and Kimberly More – Ad Valorem Tax – What It Is and How It Can Save Our Schools
  • TBA – Possible speaker from Elk Lake School District in PA – What Natural Gas Development Has Done For Schools In PA

*Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (Mar 30, 2012) – Email received from the JLCNY