Impressive Beginning/More letters urgently needed to oppose local pro-fracking resolutions

Greetings,

As I earlier brought to your attention, 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...

Thanks to all of you who quickly sent letters to more than 30 municipalities in five counties requesting that local authorities "adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time supporting Marcellus Shale gas extraction."

See below a favorable response from the Town of Chenango Supervisor, Hal Snopek:

Mr. Perkus – 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

Check out an impressive map of the municipalities that received letters: http://toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/maps/2012/07/11/reso...

Thanks to Erin Heaton, Karen Glauber, Elaine and Ben Perkus of NYRAD and Sue Rapp of VERSE for their incredible assistance.

I IMPLORE YOU TO FILL IN THE BLANKS OF THE FORM LETTER BELOW AND EMAIL IT ASAP TO YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE AREAS WHERE NO LETTERS HAVE YET BEEN SENT. THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

I BELIEVE THAT NO LOCAL RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED DECLARING THAT A VILLAGE, TOWN OR CITY WANTS SHALE GAS FRACKING TO BE PERMITTED IN THAT JURISDICTION PER SE. IF WE ACT IMMEDIATELY, WE COULD FORESTALL SUCH PRO-FRACKING RESOLUTIONS FROM BEING ADOPTED.

I especially need one person to send a letter to Chemung County Executive Thomas J. Santulli: tsantulli@co.chemung.ny.us and the County Clerk Catherine K. Hughes: chughes@co.chemung.ny.us. Chemung County is a critical battleground.

As you will see below, the gas fracking resolution that has been passed by various localities is weak at best. It 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."

The resolution does not indicate that local authorities want shale gas fracking to be permitted in their City, Town or Village, per se.

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

In conclusion, many activists think "Home Rule" will help them bar fracking. If you live in the five counties where the Governor reportedly plans to allow a shale gas "demonstration project," your hometown could have a fracking bull's eye on it thanks to Home Rule. There is currently not one ban in that entire area and only a single moratorium in the City of Binghamton.

Send the letter before it is too late. 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