CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Despite pleas from dozens of environmental groups statewide, at least four in Otsego County, Gov. David Paterson is standing firm.

In a statement issued to The Freeman’s Journal, Paterson said he will not derail the dSGEIS process to create regulations for horizontal hydrofracking for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale Formation that undergirds the county and much of southeastern New York.

"More than 10,000 comments were filed with the DEC from stakeholders on both sides of this issue," Paterson stated, "and the DEC should have the opportunity to review those comments and issue a final GEIS."

Some definitions: dSGEIS is draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. DEC is the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The horizontal hydro-fracking method would pump millions of gallons of often-toxic chemicals into the ground to break up the shale and allow the gas to surface.

Locally, Otsego 2000, the Otsego County Conservation Association, the Butternut Valley Alliance and Trout Unlimited are among the groups concerned hydrofracking could taint aquifers and wells.

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