Statewide NY

Albany-area lawyer Tom West addressed the annual meeting of the New York State Association of General Contractors. He gave them his latest thinking on whether, and when, fracking may begin in New York. Why does Tom West’s opinion matter? He’s the lead attorney for two cases working their way through the court system now, both cases dealing with the right (or non-right) of local municipalities to outright ban shale gas drilling in their communities.

Tom has a better insight than most into what’s happening with fracking in New York. And he sees a teeny, tiny light at the end of a very long tunnel…

Read More “Lawyer Tom West Sees Light at End of NY’s Fracking Tunnel”

Both sides of the drilling debate in New York are still coming to grips with both the fact, and the way, the state Dept. of Environment Conservation (DEC) filed for a 90-day extension to the fracking rulemaking process—keeping the possibility of fracking alive in New York.

Anti-drillers, never at a loss for things to complain about, mostly complain the DEC’s revised proposed rules don’t indicate where the rules have changed from previous versions (i.e. redline), making them flip back and forth between previous versions and the new version (perhaps they have a case for carpel tunnel syndrome?)…

Read More “The “Compendium of its Meaning” for NY Fracking”

Last week when the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) filed for a 90-day extension to the rulemaking process for new fracking rules, the DEC issued a press statement to some media outlets (but still has not posted it on their website). A Gannett reporter provides us with the four paragraph statement, which contains several curious comments.

The following statement was made last week by DEC spokesperson Emily DeSantis:

Read More “NY DEC: We’ll Have our Cake and Eat it Too”

Following the release of a revised set of “tweaked” drilling rules last week by the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), both sides of the drilling debate had  observations about the revised rules. In general, some of the language was tightened, tweaked or expanded. In some cases rules were made more strict (on setbacks, for example). What do pro- and anti-drillers think of the DEC’s 90-day rule extension and the documents released as part of it?

Read More “Pro-, Anti-Drillers Comment on NY DEC Revised Fracking Rules”

Yesterday the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) applied for a 90-day extension to the rulemaking process with respect to new rules for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”). As MDN has endlessly chronicled, the DEC faced a deadline of yesterday (Nov. 29) to either release revised new rules, not release them and start the process all over again, or file for a 90-day extension. They opted for Door #3.

As part of filing for the extension the DEC is required to release a “substantially revised” set of proposals which must be opened to public comment for a 30-day period. The DEC posted 11 documents on their website yesterday (see this page) as part of filing for the extension. The AP did some digging (and perhaps knows someone inside at DEC) and provided this brief analysis of the differences in the new rules from the previous draft, changes that are new and public for the first time with this release:

Read More “NY DEC Files for 90-Day Extension on Fracking Rules”

It’s official: The New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will file for a 90-day extension on the rulemaking process for fracking. Although it would be better for the DEC to just release the new rules now, before tomorrow (Nov. 29), at least the process is still alive, albeit now delayed. Still, given the current climate in New York, MDN takes it as good news for landowners and a signal that drilling may indeed yet come to the Empire State.

Here’s how it all came down yesterday, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo admitting to reporters that the DEC will “have to” file for an extension:

Read More “NY DEC Files for 90-Day Fracking Rules Extension, What Now?”

In order to comply with the Great Lakes Compact, the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation yesterday instituted a new permitting system for large water withdrawals from NY bodies of water. The new system impacts any industry or user withdrawing more than 100,000 gallons per day. It also helps pave the way for natural gas drillers who use fracking—when and if new fracking rules are released in the state.

Read More “NY DEC New Permit System for Large Water Withdrawals”

The Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY), Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) and a number of other landowner and business groups announced yesterday they have launched a new public relations advertising campaign that calls on Gov. Cuomo and state leaders to end the delays in allowing safe natural gas drilling in the state.

From the press announcement:

Read More “NY Groups Launch New Ad Campaign – End Fracking Delays Now”

New York Residents Against Drilling (NYRAD) recently issued an email containing a letter from Walter Hang of Toxics Targeting (based in where else? Ithaca, NY). Hang issued a Thanksgiving message (forwarded by NYRAD) celebrating another year without fracking in New York, and updating the faithful on where things stand with the current moratorium. Hang does a pretty fair job of representing the complex situation as it stands in New York, and what may/may not happen next.

MDN is reprinting his entire message below (no changes, no comments, formatting as originally received) to offer those interested in what’s happening with fracking in NY a chance to see the issue through the eyes of anti-drillers. Sometimes it’s useful to walk in the other guy’s shoes to gain perspective…

Read More “Anti-Drillers’ Perspective on Where Things Stand in NY”