Thanks/More info regarding opposing local pro-fracking resolutions

Greetings,

Thank you for the amazing response to my request that at least one resident of every Town, Village, City and County in the Fracking Demonstration Project area reported by The New York Times write to request that their local officials "adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time supporting Marcellus Shale gas extraction."

I believe letters have already been sent to more than 50 local entities. Pour it on. Send the letters ASAP. Please keep me apprised. I will post a tally to avoid redundancy.

A form letter is presented below for your use. I have labeled it to avoid confusion. Just fill in the blanks and email it to your local authorities.

Many activists wrote to let me know that a cookie-cutter resolution has reportedly been passed by several localities. I believe it does not take the position that authorities WANT SHALE GAS FRACKING TO BE PERMITTED IN THEIR TOWN or VILLAGE per se.

The resolution cautions against "premature local action," opposes adoption of any fracking "ban, moratorium or legislative impediment" and expresses faith in the SGEIS proceeding.

It notes that the "role of municipal governments in New York State's natural gas development still remains under review by DEC as a part of the ongoing SGEIS process."

I invite you to read it for yourself. See below.

I was informed that Van Etten reportedly passed a different resolution: "Resolve, that the Town Board of the Town of Van Etten has decided to allow gas drilling in the Town of Van Etten, NY." Gas drilling is already permitted in that town, but not in Marcellus Shale. Again, this resolution does not say that Van Etten wants shale gas fracking to be permitted in their Town per se.

As you know, 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...

AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND, I STILL BELIEVE THAT NO LOCAL RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED ANYWHERE IN THE REPORTED FIVE-COUNTY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AREA DECLARING THAT A VILLAGE, TOWN OR CITY WANTS SHALE GAS FRACKING TO BE PERMITTED IN THAT LOCALITY PER SE. IF WE ACT IMMEDIATELY, WE COULD FORESTALL SUCH PRO-FRACKING RESOLUTIONS FROM BEING ADOPTED.

Send the letter ASAP. It cannot hurt and might really help. Leave no stones unturned.

Thanks so much for your assistance.
Cheers,

Walter

Form Letter
Fill in the blanks and Email it ASAP to Your Local Town/Village/City as well as County authorities.

Honorable _____
Mayor/Town Supervisor/Town Board Member/County Executive/Village Trustee/County Legislator/Environmental Management Council Member/Natural Gas Advisory Committee Member
Address

Dear _____:

My name is ______ and I live at _______________. I write today to request that the Town/City/Village/County of ____ adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time supporting Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Since 2008, a shale gas fracking moratorium has been in effect in New York pending adoption of comprehensive environmental and health safeguards pursuant to a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS).

Until a Final SGEIS is adopted, I believe that it would be premature and entirely inappropriate for the Town/City/Village/County of ____________ to adopt any pro-fracking policies.

Executive Order No. 41

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a Draft SGEIS in the fall of 2009, but Governor Paterson deemed the proposal to be inadequate and incomplete.

In December 2010, he signed Executive Order No. 41 which requires DEC to analyze shale gas fracking's environmental impacts "comprehensively" and to make "revisions" the draft SGEIS to comply with applicable legal requirements.

Upon taking office, Governor Cuomo immediately signed a "continuation" of Executive Order No. 41. As a result, DEC issued a Revised Draft SGEIS in September 2011 and is currently reviewing approximately 67,000 public comments regarding that proposal.

Documented Shortcomings of DEC's SGEIS Proposals

DEC's Draft and Revised Draft SGEIS proposals have received intense criticism from the elected officials, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, academic researchers, physicians, scientists, farmers, local businesses as well as concerned citizens across New York and in our own community.

Please review a detailed coalition letter with more than 22,000 signatories which requests that Governor Cuomo withdraw the Revised Draft SGEIS until 17 documented concerns have been fully resolved.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/2011

I also ask you to review a coalition letter with more than 2,700 signatories that opposes any Fracking "Demonstration Project" in the Southern Tier and requests strict enforcement of Executive Order No. 41.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/201...

Finally, you can review a bi-partisan letter co-signed by a total of 76 Assembly and State Senate representatives which requests that Governor Cuomo resolve six critical concern before permitting shale gas fracking.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/letters/2012/06/...

Conclusion

For all these reasons, I request that the Town/City/Village/County of ___ adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time in support of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Shale gas extraction in New York is a highly complex issue that warrants careful and transparent public policy consideration. If the Town/City/Village/County of ____ ultimately addresses that matter, I request that all deliberations strictly comply with the New York State Open Meetings Law regarding public disclosure and participation.

See: http://www.dos.ny.gov/coog/openmeetlaw.html

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about my request. I can assure you that I am entirely open to your views. I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Thank you for your consideration and your public service.

Very truly yours,

_____
address

Reported Landowner Coalition Resolution