Gas Leasing/Mortgage Lending Coverage

Greetings,

I am pleased to let you know that the issue of gas leasing impacts on mortgage lending has received considerable media coverage and is gaining political traction.

You can listen to my 5/20/11 interview with Susan Arbetter on The Capitol Pressroom: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2011-05-20/capitol-pressroom-may-20-...

As you will see, she was kind enough to include my letter to Governor Cuomo in her popular blog.

Ms. Arbetter today interviewed Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton about a meeting she arranged last week between top staffers for Governor Cuomo and local leaders from Tompkins County, including lenders, a realtor and a legislator. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2011-05-24/capitol-pressroom-may-24-...

Please take a moment to thank Assemblywoman Lifton for her tireless efforts and strong leadership on shale gas matters: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Barbara-Lifton/contact/

In addition, please thank Susan Arbetter for her breaking news coverage of this issue: http://thecapitolpressroom.org/does-natural-gas-leasing-hurt-property-va...

You can review emails exchanged by various lenders that drive home their concerns about gas leasing impacting property "value" and "marketability." Thanks to Stephanie Low for these documents, which I verified as authentic by contacting one of the lenders. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/banks-that-will-...

Immediate Public Comment Regarding Expanding the Scope of the SGEIS

In order to reach our goal of 5,000 signatories to the Governor Cuomo coalition letter, we now need less than 200 additional signatories. Please join elected officials, business leaders, civic and environmental groups as well as students and citizens who are requesting that Governor Cuomo require immediate public comment about expanding the scope of the SGEIS. See link below.

Please keep pushing your legislators to sign Assemblywoman Lifton's similar letter to Governor Cuomo. It now has 64 signatories. See link below.

Conclusion

In closing, I note the passing of the 5/15/11 fracking moratorium deadline that legislation vetoed by Governor Paterson would have imposed. DEC is not even remotely finished with its review of the draft SGEIS comments. As a result, the proposed deadline would have been all but meaningless. The de facto moratorium was established more than three years ago and continues until a Final SGEIS is adopted. That is not likely until at least the end of 2012.

Meanwhile, Executive Order No. 41 is further delaying adoption of the Final SGEIS by requiring DEC to revise its woefully inadequate draft SGEIS to assess "comprehensively" Marcellus Shale's potential horizontal hydrofracturing impacts. If we succeed in expanding the scope of that proceeding, a very substantial additional delay would result.

As we pressure Governor Cuomo and DEC to address a growing list of gas drilling hazards, a Final SGEIS recedes further into the future. I emphasize that the current de facto moratorium continues until a Final SGEIS is adopted.

Pour it on. Call, phone bank and email the Governor and the other powers-that-be. Keep at it.

Finally, please let me know if you hear what gas lease holders, landowner coalition members and local lenders in your community think about mortgage lending concerns.

Thank you for all your help.

Best,

Walter

Legislator Letter Requesting That Governor Cuomo Immediately Expand the Scope of the SGEIS

Please ask your legislators to become signatories to Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton's letter requesting that Governor Cuomo provide an immediate public comment period about expanding the scope of the SGEIS. This letter has 64 signatories, including Democrats and Republicans in the Assembly and State Senate. Getting at least 100 signatories might generate a favorable reply.

Use this request letter: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/lifton_letter/request

Representative Lifton's self-explanatory letter is posted at: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/node/5826