CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

You might expect Otsego 2000, the OCCA and Sustainable Otsego to oppose drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation, given the potentially devastating environment impact.

But the Cherry Valley Town Board, meeting Dec. 10, unanimously passed a resolution that questions whether proposed state egulations sufficiently consider potential pollution of water supplies or damage to town roads.

And the following Monday, the 14th, the Springfield Town Board adopted a similar resolution.

“DEC is asking for comment,” said Cherry Valley Councilman Mark Cornwell, “and we commented.”

The resolution may be viewed in full at www.thefreemansjournal.com.od in which it is proposed.”

Cornwell, a SUNY Cobleskill wildlife and fisheries professor, went through the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s DSGEIS – the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement – page by page.

He observed that while hydrofracking – the burrowing out of horizontal drills from a vertical shaft – can extend 10,000 feet from the center, the provisions to protect water supplies only apply to wells within 1,000 feet of the center.

Further, according to the resolution, the DSGEIS provisions would allow up to 17,000 truck trips per multi-well pad over town roads.