The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) is a “coalition of coalitions” representing more than 77,000 landowners throughout New York State. Consider it the official, collective voice of landowners interested in allowing shale gas drilling on their land. For many months MDN has marveled at how restrained the JLCNY has been with regard to the foot-dragging on the part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Joe Martens when it comes to the release of new drilling rules. MDN would “shoot from the lip” and say “Sue ‘em!” The JLCNY would calmly say, “Let the process work. In the end, we’ll have the best drilling laws in the world, and no one will be able to say we didn’t take our time and do it right.” And of course they’re correct.

Has the JLCNY finally had enough of the foot-dragging and delay tactics? Have they finally reached their patience limit and are the gloves are about to come off? Here’s a JLCNY press release received by MDN yesterday:

Read More “JLCNY: Gov. Cuomo has Betrayed NY Residents”

Everyone has noticed it: There’s been a change in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s position on hydraulic fracturing. It had seemed, for over year, that he was charting a path down the middle. He would allow fracking, eventually. Earlier this year he floated the idea of allowing fracking in a limited fashion in a few locations as a test—to closely watch what happens and to alleviate concerns for those who oppose it. He wanted to prove to everyone that it can be done safely. It was a true “wisdom of Solomon” kind of proposal. What could make more sense?

But politics never makes sense, and politics, not science and facts as the governor has long said, has reared its ugly head. And everyone has noticed it. The question is, what or who changed Andy’s mind? Perhaps we’ll never truly know, but a recent article in the New York Times may give us some insight. In a word, what may have turned Andy against fracking was a family confidant.

Read More “Andrew Cuomo’s Fracking Confidant”