CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Bath, N.Y. — Steuben County is considering a way to increase future revenues for its landfill operations by accepting cuttings from Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania.

County Public Works Commissioner Vince Spagnoletti told the county Legislature’s Public Works Committee his department is conducting a two-month review to determine whether to allow the debris to be dumped at the landfill, and how much the landfill could absorb.

The decision will likely spur a lively local debate, given the mounting controversy about the effect drilling will have on county residents.

The drilling involves a procedure called hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking, which includes installing both vertical and horizontal pipes. After drilling, water and chemicals are forced into the holes to extract natural gas.

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