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NY DEC Continues Secret Meetings with Anti-Drilling Groups
September 5, 2012September 5, 2012

It’s now after Labor Day and still no word about a release of new drilling rules in New York State from the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Last week MDN passed along word from the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) sounding the alarm that Gov. Cuomo was being pressured to postpone a decision on releasing new fracking rules until after the November election (see this MDN story).

We may now know why they sounded the alarm. In what appears to be a troubling trend, the DEC continues to have informal (we would call them secret) meetings with anti-drilling environmentalist organizations, like the Sierra Club, NRDC and Riverkeeper. If the DEC were doing this with landowner groups there would be an outcry from those very same organizations. At any rate, the latest attempt by anti-drillers to stall the release of fracking rules seems to center on the call for yet another study—this one on potential so-called health affects from drilling.

From the New York Times late last week:

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

NY Landowner Coalition Sounds Alarm on New Delay Request
August 31, 2012August 31, 2012

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) yesterday emailed an “urgent call to action” to New York landowners and those in the state who support natural gas drilling. The JLCNY has received a tip from “credible sources” that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been asked to once again delay the release of new drilling rules in New York, known as the SGEIS, until after the election on Nov. 6—effectively meaning “not until 2013.” The JLCNY call to action asks landowners and gas supporters to phone the governor’s office, along with the offices of other prominent politicians, asking them to not delay the release of new drilling rules.

The JLCNY does not comment on who the credible sources are, nor who is doing the asking for another delay. MDN has its own theories, but we’ll hold off for now on the speculation. The important thing (for those of us who support drilling and want the new DEC rules released NOW), is to pick up the phone and start calling.

Here’s the call to action email received by MDN:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Bloomberg Says “We Need that Gas” and Fracking Will Get It
August 31, 2012August 31, 2012

The conversion of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg from reticent to ambivalent to full-throated supporter of fracking is certainly welcomed, but also surprising. MDN has connected the dots on his eleventh-hour conversion in this MDN story.

During public appearances this week, Mayor Mike has addressed the fracking issue a number of times. Here are a few of his comments on the topic, in his own words:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Yoko Ono on Fracking: All We Need is … Logic?
August 30, 2012August 30, 2012

Yoko Ono and her son Sean Lennon launched the group Artists Against Fracking yesterday at a presser in New York City. Mark Ruffalo (“The Hulk” in the Avengers movie) joined them. The group, with supposedly over 180 artists as members, is targeting one person: Gov. Andrew Cuomo. They are attempting to pressure Cuomo into banning the miracle of hydraulic fracturing in New York State. Ono and Lennon sent him a letter on Monday with their artist buddies as signatories, requesting him to “just say no” (apparently there are some chemicals they do oppose).

The Ono/Lennon letter must be super secret because there are no public copies to be found, but somehow good ‘ole AP got their hands on a copy. Here’s the AP’s very few quotes and comments on the letter to Cuomo:

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MDN Map of NY Counties Likely to See Initial Fracking [Free]
August 29, 2012September 11, 2012

MDN is excited to release an important new resource—a free map—to help you understand the situation in New York State with fracking. A copy of the map is embedded below.

In a nutshell, everyone is waiting (holding our collective breath) for the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue a final final final final version of new drilling rules (called the SGEIS) they’ve been working on for more than four years. Previous versions of the SGEIS were introduced but didn’t make the grade. This time, it’s really the final word.

Where will the first permits be issued? That’s what our map will help you figure out. And we tell you why.

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NY Fracking Fight Heads to Townships – Rest of the Story
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal focuses on an issue MDN has covered for some time: how the fight over hydraulic fracturing in New York State has “gone local,” meaning it’s largely going to be decided town by town throughout the state.

The article notes a few statistics—about 100 or so towns have voted for either a short-term moratorium on fracking, or an outright ban. And about 60 or so towns have voted to “support” drilling. (Shameless self-promotion: MDN’s Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook Vol. 2 has the complete list of which towns have voted which way on the issue.)

But the pure numbers of “100 against, 60 for” does not come anywhere close to telling the whole story…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Why Mayor Mike Bloomberg Suddenly Loves Fracking
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

Last week, New York City Michael Bloomberg “came out” as a supporter of natural gas and hydraulic fracturing (see this MDN story). He’s even committed $6 million of his own money to ensure it happens and is done right in New York and other geographies. Now we know why he’s become an overnight fan of fracking.

On Monday, Mayor Mike released the results of a study commissioned by NYC that looks at the role natural gas already plays for New York (very important), and the critical role it will play in a “sustainable energy” future for NYC once a new law goes into effect banning the use of No. 6 and No. 4 heating oil (eliminated in 2015 and 2030 respectively). A full copy of the study authored by ICF International, titled “Assessment of New York City Natural Gas Market Fundamentals and Life Cycle Fuel Emissions,” is embedded below.

Among the eye-popping conclusions in the study: Shale gas produced in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region right now makes up 30% of the gas flowing to NYC. By 2025, that number will be 80%.

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

And Again! When Will NY Release New Fracking Regs?
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

On the ever-present topic of “when will new drilling rules be released in New York,” here’s the latest insight from Tom Wilbur, former reporter for the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin and author of “Under the Surface,” a book on shale gas drilling. He writes on his blog:

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Delaware County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Sean Lennon Pens Grimm’s Fracking Fairy Tale
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

Sean Lennon, son of the late John Lennon (and unfortunately someone who inherited his mother’s singing talent) is against fracking. So’s his mom, Yoko Ono. In fact, we highlighted a video of Sean and mom Yoko singing (if that’s what you call it) on the Jimmy Falon show (see this MDN story). Simply hilarious. Did they not know people were laughing at them and not with them?

Anywho, Sean—the great intellect and artiste—published an anti-fracking editorial in Monday’s New York Times (the newspaper with sinking standards). Here’s a small sample of his article, talking about where he was raised in Delaware County in rural Upstate New York:

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

Albany Protesters Try to Convince Cuomo to Ban Fracking
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

$anti-fracker$ Depending on which news source you read, yesterday’s anti-fracking protest rally and march in Albany, NY drew “hundreds” of protesters, “more than 1,000” or “about 1,200.” Any way you slice it, there were a lot of loud-mouthed people in Albany yesterday, trying to catch the attention of one person: Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A few “famous people” were there as well, which is what caught the attention of the media. People like actress Debra Winger (who lives in Sullivan County, NY) and author Bill McKibben (writes about climate change).

Josh Fox of Gasland fame was there too, although he doesn’t even rate a mention in the Albany Times Union story, and just a brief mention in the Gannett story. Guess Josh’s 15 minutes of fame is now about over.

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

One More Time: When Will NY Release New Fracking Regs?
August 27, 2012August 27, 2012

The one question MDN editor Jim Willis gets asked most often is, “When will New York release rules to allow fracking?” We’ve addressed this question before and no doubt will again. But this time, we thought we would let someone else address it for a change. Here’s a roundup of who’s said what on the topic of “when NY” as offered by Steve Israel in the Middletown Times Herald-Record:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Supports Fracking
August 24, 2012August 24, 2012

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with the “father” of hydraulic fracturing, George Mitchell, jointly published an opinion piece in yesterday’s Washington Post that supports fracking. Or rather offers qualified support, provided fracking is done they way they want it done.

Bloomberg and Mitchell offer four reasons why fracking is good, and then say their individual foundations will work together to “encourage better state regulation of fracking around five key principles.” Here are those five principles:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Former Energy Sec. Richardson Supports Cuomo Fracking Plan
August 23, 2012August 23, 2012

It seems Democrats themselves have grown tired of anti-fracking shenanigans by their own people at public gatherings. Former Sec. of Energy (and former Governor of New Mexico) Bill Richardson was in New York City yesterday speaking on renewable energy at an event hosted by the Democrat party and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. A couple of anti-frackers who had “slipped in” stood up to protest, unfurling an anti-fracking banner and making claims that fracking would poison water supplies.

Here’s what happened:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NY Anti-Drillers Threaten Civil Disobedience over Fracking
August 22, 2012August 22, 2012

If anti-drillers in New York don’t get their way with Gov. Cuomo (i.e., a total ban on fracking), they’re threatening to engage in so-called “nonviolent” civil disobedience.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Statewide NY

New York State Ad Wars Heat Up Over Fracking
August 22, 2012August 22, 2012

As we get ever closer to the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) release of new rules to allow fracking—a decision expected either by or shortly after Labor Day—both sides of the debate are turning up the heat by taking to the airwaves and in print with advertisements.

For some time now, pro-drilling groups led by the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) have run radio and print ads (see below). The other side is now entering the fray with their own ads.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Statewide NY

Poll: New Yorkers Remain Split on Fracking, Some Surprises
August 21, 2012August 21, 2012

Each month the Siena College Research Institute conducts a statewide poll in New York to gage opinions on various political issues and politicians. For several years running they have polled on the question of whether or not New Yorkers support shale gas drilling and fracking. The unsurprising results again for this month are that statewide, New Yorkers are evenly split for and against fracking (see the results embedded below).

However, when you dig into the numbers, a surprising fact emerges about the geography people live in who favor drilling versus the geography of those who don’t.

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