Statewide NY

In what may be the final stretch of four and a half long years to win approval for New York State to begin using the miracle of hydraulic fracturing as has Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Colorado and so many other states, the New York State Petroleum Council (NYSPC) has launched a new ad campaign aimed at one person: Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Listen and watch the new commercials below.

Last Friday the NYSPC issued this press announcement about the new ad campaign:

Read More “Home Stretch for NY Fracking Generates New Ad Campaign”

Although the latest public comment period for proposed new drilling rules in New York officially closed on Jan. 11, we’re just now learning about the “comments” (more like a treatise) made by the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY) to the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), filed on the closing day of Jan. 11.

Many of IOGA of NY’s members are small and medium-sized drillers, and according to IOGA, the DEC’s latest draft of proposed drilling rules simply go too far for smaller drillers. They also say some of the new proposals are illegal. IOGA of NY provided a detailed, 119-page response/critique to the DEC which outlines chapter and verse the changes they believe must be made to the proposed new rules from the DEC before fracking in New York would be viable. A copy of the entire 119-page response is embedded below.

Read More “IOGA NY Becomes “Adversarial” – DEC Must Revise Fracking Rules”

Perhaps sensing the fracking issue is about to become moot if the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation releases new fracking rules in a few weeks, a group of anti-fracking/anti-drilling Democrat state senators are once again pushing for a law to permanently ban fracking in the Empire State.

A pair of newly-elected Democrat senators joined their colleagues on the left to try and force the issue to a vote on the Senate floor—before it’s “too late”…

Read More “NY Democrat Senators (Yet Again) Push Fracking Ban Legislation”

The current moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in New York is exactly 4 years and 6 months old today. MDN keeps a handy “Moratorium Clock” in the right sidebar to remind people how long New York landowners have been denied their Constitutional property rights to allow drilling on their land in the People’s Republic of New York. Here’s how it looked this morning:

We believe we’ve seen this movie before… NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his proposed 2013 budget yesterday. Not included in the budget was money to hire new inspectors for the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to inspect oil and gas drilling—inspectors that will be needed if shale drilling finally begins in the state this year.

Is the omission of money for new inspectors important, and does it indicate which way the governor is leaning with his career make-or-break decision? According to the governor himself, don’t read too much into it…

Read More “NY Gov Cuomo Omits Money for Drilling Inspectors in 2013 Budget”

The magic date by which the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) must release new rules to allow fracking is and has been Feb. 27—which is the end of the 90-day extension period we’re currently in. However, there’s a closer, more important date to watch for those who support fracking and want to see it go forward, and for those who don’t. That date? Feb. 13.

Here’s why is Feb. 13 is a critical date and likely the “real” deadline for the DEC to decide yes or no…

Read More ““Real” Deadline for NY DEC to Decide Fracking Issue: Feb 13”

Hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas is an economic, technological miracle—hands down. There are some negatives associated with the practice, but fracking in no way pollutes ground water aquifers as claimed by people who simply hate all fossil fuels (and must justify their hatred with specious arguments like “it pollutes water”).

A recent column in the New York Post does a stellar job of putting the miracle of fracking—and New York’s angst over it—in context by using a little known story of actual events that happened in Sweden during the 1700s—events that had to do with one of MDN’s favorite addictions: coffee. It’s the kind of column we wish we had written…

Read More “What Do Fracking, Coffee & Secret Reports have in Common?”

Today, Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, is the final day of a new 30-day comment period from the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) required under law so the DEC would not have to restart the entire process of approving new drilling regulations, including regulations for hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Anti-drilling groups are trying to derail the inevitable approval of the new rules by a) dumping 200,000 new comments on the DEC, which we’re sure the DEC really appreciates, and b) by holding a joint hearing in the NYS Assembly yesterday.

The Assembly joint hearing, spearheaded by three anti-drilling Assembly Democrats (see NY Assemblyman Try to Stop the Clock on Fracking Comment Period), was supposed to hear from more than 50 people who signed up in advance to address the hearing. Almost all of the speakers signed up were anti-drilling, no surprise given who was hosting the hearing. But not all got to speak because one brave pro-drilling soul went on the hot seat for nearly two hours…

Read More “Who Did & Didn’t Attend NYS Assembly Hearing on Fracking”

One item of note in the news generated around today’s deadline to provide comments to the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) about their latest revisions to proposed fracking regulations…

MDN picked up on the published comments from energy industry lawyer Tom West who said he was filing comments on behalf of landowners and drillers. His comments about this latest round of changes by the DEC of their proposed fracking rules were decidedly pessimistic:

Read More “NY Energy Lawyer Tom West Says Latest DEC Revisions Go Too Far”

Unfortunately MDN editor Jim Willis could not attend the Albany, NY rally yesterday to show support for fracking. Both sides of the debate were out with placards and signs in the state capital in a show of support (or opposition) for the benefit of a single person: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who delivered his State of the State address. On his way to the Capitol, Cuomo got to see signs and shouts of support/opposition from both sides. What did he see?

Read More “Out-of-Towners Show up at NY State of State Address to Oppose Fracking”

Hundreds of New York State landowners are expected to show up today, Wednesday, Jan. 9, in Albany, NY in a show of support for fracking and shale drilling to Gov. Andrew Cuomo as he delivers his State of the State address. Anti-drillers are expected to make a showing as well.

The 77,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) released this statement ahead of their rally today:

Read More “NY Landowners Converge on Albany in Show of Support for Fracking”

Different day, same old broken tune from Mayors Matt Ryan (Binghamton), Sue Skidmore (Elmira) and an assortment of lefty elected officials, holding offices from mayor to dog catcher, who want to ban fracking.

Yesterday the group Elected Officials to Protect New York (see their website so you know whom to vote against in the next election) issued yet another tiresome nag request at a press conference in Binghamton to Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking him to extend the public comment period on the latest minor revisions to proposed fracking rules from 30 days to 90 days, knowing full well that if he does, it will kill fracking in New York. Thankfully the governor is ignoring the group.

Read More “NY Politicians Renew Request for Longer Fracking Comment Period”