Greetings colleagues,

First, I am immensely pleased to let you know that we finally achieved our goal of gaining 10,000 signatories to the Withdraw the draft SGEIS Coalition Letter. Thank you all so much for your help with this amazing, historic accomplishment.

See my cover letter to Governor Paterson: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/paterson-letter-...

Citizens, elected officials, local, state and national environmental groups, religious leaders as well as an impressive array of businesses all signed our coalition letter. It has become a main line of defense against Marcellus Shale Horizontal Hydrofracking in New York State.

Our campaign has received massive local, regional, national and international press coverage. It has played a crucial role in slowing to a crawl DEC's efforts to adopt a Final SGEIS. (Knock on wood.)

As a result, the de facto moratorium has held. Not one Marcellus Shale Horizontal Hydrofracking permit has been issued by DEC. Not one permit application is being processed through an individual EIS. A year ago, that would have been unthinkable.

Even the City of New York has called for withdrawing the draft SGEIS. Supporting local resolutions have been passed by Community Board One as well as the Town of Ithaca, the Village of Dryden, Onondaga County, Cortland County, Tompkins County and other localities. Thanks to everyone who helped with those resolutions. Please pass more asap.

Second, I am equally pleased to release a detailed map of the waters that Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Cuomo reportedly considers "sacrosanct." He released a proposed Marcellus Shale policy on 8/6/10: "...Andrew Cuomo would not support any drilling that would threaten the State's major sources of drinking water."

As you will see, that area covers approximately 75% of New York's Marcellus Shale: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/map/watershed

I wrote Mr. Cuomo to ask him: "Please spell out precisely how you propose to prevent gas drilling from threatening source water in approximately 75% of the Marcellus Shale in New York given that DEC’s draft SGEIS would allow drilling in virtually that entire formation. I am eager to learn how you would safeguard those “sacrosanct” areas if you are elected Governor of the State of New York."

Please be sure to ask him about his policy at his campaign events. I urge you to bird-dog him respectfully at every opportunity.

See my letter at: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/cuomo-letter-Sep...

Third, I am honored to have been invited by Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan to speak tomorrow evening in Ridgewood Queens. New York City is a crucial battleground in our fight. Please come by and learn what you can do to help. See below.

In conclusion, we have an immense amount of work to do between now, election day, the end of the year and beyond, but we have come mighty far indeed. Thank you all for your hard work and generous support. I appreciate everything everyone has done.

Onward and upward.

Walter

Walter Hang is president of Toxics Targeting, an environmental database firm that helps to safeguard New York City's drinking water. He and his colleagues have released extensive government information documenting natural gas hazards in New York State involving fires, explosions, polluted water supply wells, evacuated homes and massive uncontrolled wastewater releases. He also drafted a coalition letter with more than 10,000 signatories calling for the withdrawal of the Department of Environmental Conservation's draft proposed regulations. His work has received extensive local, state, national and international media coverage.