Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

Greetings:

The New York Times reported on 6/13/12 that: "Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration was pursuing a plan to limit fracking to portions of several struggling upstate New York counties along the border with Pennsylvania, and to permit it only in communities that express support for the technology (emphasis added)."

See: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/nyregion/hydrofracking-under-cuomo-pla...

Given that your administration has not denied that report, I write to inform you that citizens throughout The Southern Tier have submitted detailed written requests to a total of 33 municipalities asking that their local authorities adopt no resolutions or public policies supporting shale gas extraction. Those letters also have been sent to all five County Legislatures in the reported "fracturing demonstration project" area.

See a map of those municipalities: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale

See a copy of one of the letters: http://toxicstargeting.com/node/34066

Multiple favorable replies have been received, e.g.:

Mr. P_____ – Thank you for this information which I have forwarded on to the Town Board and our attorney. At this time the Board is not voting on any resolutions or moratoriums regarding fracking. We are collecting as much information as we can from residents, the DEC and the State and waiting for their recommendations.

Hal

I also would like to alert you that there is surprisingly meager grassroots citizen support for shale gas fracturing in Upstate New York. An on-line coalition letter posted by the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York, Inc. notes that we... "are in favor of developing the natural gas reserves that underlie New York State in the Marcellus Shale formation immediately." That letter only has 221 signatories.

The JLCNY is based in Binghamton and is purportedly a leading advocacy group for the benefits of natural gas extraction. Their leadership is often quoted in news articles.

A second letter posted by the same organization says: "tell Albany we support exploring for clean-burning natural gas." That letter only has a total of 155 signatories.

See: http://www.jlcny.org/site/index.php/tool-box/petitions

In stark contrast to that negligible level of public support, there is enormously strong opposition to your reported Fracking "Demonstration Project." That intense opposition is growing literally day by day.

There are more than 22,500 signatories to a detailed coalition letter which requests that you permit no shale gas fracturing in selected areas of New York until it is safe for all areas of our state. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/2011

There are also more than 2,800 signatories to a coalition letter that specifically requests that you issue no permits for any shale gas fracturing "Southern Tier Demonstration Project" or anywhere else in New York. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/201...

Finally, a bipartisan letter signed by a total of 76 legislators in both houses of the New York State Legislature similarly requests that you permit no shale gas fracturing until a total of six critical concerns are fully resolved. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/letters/2012/06/...

In conclusion, it is now plain that the main supporters of shale gas extraction in New York are a handful of gas industries with meager grassroots citizen support. It would be irresponsible of you to place the financial interests of the shale gas industry above the public interest.

More than 25,000 signatories to coalition letters respectfully request that you make sure all New Yorkers receive equal protection from shale gas fracturing. They request that you withdraw the Revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement in order to resolve a total of 17 critical concerns in order to fulfill the requirements of Executive Order No. 41. Please heed that request.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best,

Walter Hang