CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

The Independent Oil & Gas Association (IOGA of NY) today presented comments at a roundtable discussion hosted by New York State Senator Antoine M. Thompson (D-Buffalo).

Sen. Thompson, chair of the Senate's Environmental Conservation Committee, is gathering information as the state considers allowing expanded natural gas exploration in New York's Marcellus Shale.

Brad Gill, executive director of IOGA of NY, explained the oil and gas industry's outstanding record of operational safety and water protection, as well as the science of exploring for and extracting natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. Trapped in the rock formation are trillions of cubic feet of gas enough to improve the nation's energy independence for decades, create thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars in economic benefits to individuals, municipalities and the state.

Gill asserted that environmental concerns surrounding hydraulic fracturing are adequately addressed in the draft SGEIS. "New York is sitting on a geologic gold mine," Gill said. "Technological advances in the drilling and extraction processes, combined with New York's strict regulatory environment including a more stringent SGEIS should give regulators, policymakers and residents enough assurances that this clean fuel source can be harvested safely and efficiently without posing threats to the state's environmental resources."

(Click to read the entire report)