Statewide NY

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

“Enviro” Groups Push 5 Bills in NY Legislature, One Bans Fracking
April 9, 2013April 9, 2013

A coalition of so-called "environmental" groups in New York—the Sierra Club, Environmental Advocates of New York, the New York League of Conservation Voters and the New York Public Interest Research Group among them—are attempting to push five bills through the New York legislature at the last minute/end-of-session that if passed, would rig the system and stack the deck in their favor. Among the bills is the ubiquitous "ban all fracking" bill that all NY lefties dream about…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY (Politely) Tells Cuomo to Wise Up and Look at PA
April 3, 2013April 3, 2013

The president of the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (and MDN friend) Dan Fitzsimmons published an op-ed in yesterday’s Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin. Without naming names (cough *Cuomo* cough), Dan says “New Yorkers” should look to our neighbors just across the border to the south for examples of what can happen when safe natural gas drilling is allowed. He provides some startling facts and figures…

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

What is Yoko Ono and Artists Against Fracking Hiding?
April 2, 2013April 2, 2013

Yoko Ono, who in recent years has become a pornographer (see this story about her 2012 “fashion line for men”), is a national treasure to the eco-nut left in this country. She’s trying to grab a second 15 minutes of fame by riding the coattails of the fracking issue, starting the group Artists Against Fracking (see Yoko Ono and Son Sean Lennon Go on Anti-Fracking Tirade). Ono has recruited a number of big (and clueless) celebrities to support her organization. One-percenters like Ono and Susan Sarandon are throwing a lot of money into Artists Against Fracking in hopes they can stop fracking in New York. Problem is, they’re supposed to register as lobbyists if they spend over $5,000, to keep spending transparent and above-board (and not greasing somebody’s palms). But they haven’t and don’t want to register–you know, they’re above petty things, like the law.

What’s interesting about the story of Artists Against Fracking not registering as lobbyists is how the media covers it. Most mainstream media, instead of questioning Ono about why she doesn’t want to obey the law, goes after the drilling industry instead! Unbelievable. But that’s what we’ve come to expect from “news” organizations like Associated Press:
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Calling Gov. Andy: Anti-Frackers Flood Cuomo with Calls
April 2, 2013April 2, 2013

The eco-nuts (Frack Action, Sierra Club, Catskill Mountainkeeper) are attempting to whip the troops into yet another frenzy to get them to call Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and tell him to forget about fracking. We’re sure the switchboard operators at the governor’s mansion appreciate it…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Cuomo Source Spills Beans on Real Reason for NY’s Fracking Delay
April 1, 2013April 1, 2013

A highly-placed Cuomo source has confirmed to the New York Post what many of us have suspected all along: The reason fracking has been delayed in New York is because of one person—Gov. Andrew “Ditherer” Cuomo. And the delay has nothing whatever to do with science. He’s delayed his decision on whether or not to allow fracking because he perceives no political benefit either way he decides. The rules crafted by the DEC are so over-the-top strict that he’s afraid no one will bother to show up and drill if he pulls the trigger to allow fracking. Plus, if he approves it, he’d have to put up with mouthy ex-brother-in-laws (see The Andy & Junior Show: Part Deux). What a drag that would be…

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Anti-Drillers Send Letter to Cuomo: Stop the Health Review Now
March 28, 2013March 28, 2013

In yet another public relations stunt, Walter Hang from the Ithaca-based Toxics Targeting group, along with several of his anti-drilling, eco-nut buddies (like failed Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan), sent Gov. Andrew “Ditherer” Cuomo a rambling 4-page letter on Tuesday requesting that he instruct NY State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah to abandon his current review of fracking rules with an eye on health impacts. Why? Because the current review is “fatally flawed” and “an exercise in futility.”

Instead of the current review, Hang & Co. “request” the Dept. of Health perform a full, years-long public health impact study…

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Bradford County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

Support from 2 Prominent Pennsylvanians for Fracking in NY
March 28, 2013March 28, 2013

MDN wasn’t the only one to note the very loud, in-your-face editorial by former PA Gov. Ed Rendell printed in yesterday’s New York Daily News (see Former PA Gov. Rendell to Gov. Cuomo: Get Fracking). Karen Moreau, executive director of the NY State Petroleum Council, released the following statement yesterday noting Rendell’s support for fracking in New York, along with the support from a hospital administrator of a hospital that sits in the middle of the most-drilled county in PA (Bradford):

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

Former PA Gov. Rendell to Gov. Cuomo: Get Fracking
March 27, 2013March 27, 2013

$frack baby frack$ Interesting. Former PA Gov. Ed Rendell (“Fast Eddie” as he’s know around here) has penned a huge editorial printed in today’s New York Daily News, a left-leaning newspaper, aimed at one person: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Eddie’s words of advice to his fellow Democrat? Frack Andy Frack!

Here’s Rendell’s op-ed:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY Begins Fundraising for Lawsuit Against NY for “Takings”
March 26, 2013March 26, 2013

The 77,000 member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) is kicking their lawsuit against the state into high gear and asking for donations to help fund litigation. You may recall MDN interviewed Scott Kurkoski, lead attorney for the JLCNY, about their plans to sue New York for “takings” back in February (see video and transcript here: 77K NY Landowners Prepare Lawsuit Against DEC). Since that time, the JLCNY has finalized their plans, all the while hoping New York would change course at the last minute. They finally, reluctantly decided the clock has run out (see JLCNY Loses Faith in Cuomo, Initiates Lawsuit over Fracking Rules).

The lawsuit groundwork is ready. What’s needed now are several good plaintiffs—and money. Hence the fundraising appeal issued yesterday:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Town Frack Ban Cases Heard in NY Supreme Court Appellate Division
March 22, 2013March 22, 2013

Yesterday, what happened in an Albany, NY courtroom was very important for all New York landowners. Four judges from the New York State Court Appellate Division heard the appeal of one driller and one landowner against two New York towns—Dryden and Middlefield—that have voted to permanently ban fracking within their borders, exercising what they call “home rule” (see Important Developments in NY Fracking Ban Court Cases for background on the two cases). According to a 1981 state law, towns are specifically prohibited from regulating oil and gas activities. The two cases hinge on whether or not “to ban” is “to regulate.”

Lawyers for the towns argued that precedent allows them to determine land use in their borders—they’re not trying to say how drilling should be done, they’re saying whether it should be done, so that’s not regulating. Lawyers for Norse Energy (suing Dryden) and dairy farmer Jennifer Huntington (suing Middlefield) argued the ban violates state law and the land use case cited as precedent by the town’s lawyers (allowing towns to prohibit gravel mining) is vastly different from mining natural gas and oil.

How did it go? Whose arguments seemed to prevail? Depends on whom you ask…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Gov. Cuomo Fires Back at NY Petroleum Council over Indecisiveness
March 22, 2013March 22, 2013

Apparently Karen Moreau, executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council (and a very nice, soft-spoken person—we’ve met her), has gotten under the skin of NY Gov. Ditherer (aka Andrew Cuomo). Moreau has repeatedly made public statements that it’s time for Cuomo to make up his mind about fracking. On Wednesday when asked about it, Cuomo testily fired back:

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Are Celebrities Breaking NY Law in Anti-Fracking Activities?
March 18, 2013March 18, 2013

Are anti-drilling one-percenters like Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Susan Sarandon breaking the law because they haven’t registered as lobbyists in New York State? According to the AP, maybe…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

JLCNY Issues Update, Begins Fundraising to Finance NY Lawsuit
March 14, 2013March 14, 2013

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY), an organization representing 77,000 landowners with over 1 million acres, issued an extensive update late yesterday on: the status of their lawsuit (which is proceeding); their need for fundraising to finance the lawsuit; and the rationale/strategy for the lawsuit. Even though recent comments by Gov. Cuomo offer a “tease” that he may soon approve fracking, the JLCNY says it’s moving forward with the lawsuit anyway, essentially telling Cuomo “we’ll believe it when we see it.”

Landowners in NY have had too many broken promises and too much double-speak from Albany politicians (see NY Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo: Fracking Friend or Foe?). Through the JLCNY, landowners are now acting to protect their Constitutional property rights. It seems Cuomo, Lupardo and other Democrats have miscalculated when it comes to NY landowners and they will now pay the political and economic price. Here’s the entire update from the JLCNY, worth the read:

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Forced Pooling | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Bloomberg Tries to Stir-up NY over Compulsory Integration Issue
March 14, 2013March 14, 2013

Mainstream media sources, like Bloomberg, often tip their hand as to which way they think the wind is blowing on an issue. You just have to take time to observe. For example, someone at Bloomberg believes New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is about to decide in favor of fracking. How do we know they think that? Because they run hit pieces that try to scare readers as a tactic to “stir-up the natives” so they’ll make noise.

The latest stir-up-the-natives-against-fracking hit piece from Bloomberg is on the topic of compulsory integration. If 60% of your neighbors sign a lease in New York, and fracking is allowed, and if your property is in a drilling unit (640 acres or one square mile), your land may be included in the fracking operation. Nothing would be built on top of your land, but drilling may be done under it—a mile or more down—even if you don’t want it. Bloomberg found an anti-driller—someone who has bought the lies from the anti-drilling left hook, line and sinker—and they’ve milked it (or should we say slaughtered it) for all it’s worth…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

IOGA of NY Goes to Albany to Engage in “Hallway Chatter”
March 13, 2013March 13, 2013

One day after Gov. Andrew “the Ditherer” Cuomo verbally slapped around landowners and those who favor fracking by saying they ought to refrain from lobbying and “hallway chatter” (see The Gall: Cuomo Lectures Landowners on How to Play Politics), the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York held their annual lobbying day in Albany to, well, engage in hallway chatter…

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Deerfield, NY Extends Fracking Moratorium Another 6 Months
March 13, 2013March 13, 2013

It’s time to toss out (at the next election) the anti-Constitutional town board members of Deerfield (Oneida County), NY. Monday night they voted unanimously to extend an illegal moratorium on fracking for another six months:

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