Government Officials Coalition Letter Re: DOH Review/Assessment Sent to Governor Cuomo

Busy Government Officials, please sign this critically important coalition letter requiring public participation for the DOH Review/Assessment of DEC's "health impact analysis:" http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/gov-coalition-letter...

Greetings,

First and foremost, I am immensely grateful to let you know that there are now 51 government official signatories to the coalition letter which respectfully requests that Governor Cuomo immediately require public notice, public comment and a public hearing for his Department of Health's Review/Assessment of DEC's "health impact analysis" of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

The impressive signatories include numerous Mayors, Town Supervisors, County Legislators, Town/City Council Representatives and many other government officials whose jurisdictions could be irreparably harmed by inadequate shale gas extraction safeguards. 

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/gov-coalition-letter...

I want to thank each and every signatory as well as everyone who helped drum up that amazing heavy-hitter support.  Your help is incredibly appreciated. 

I have submitted the letter several times to Governor Cuomo in order to try to forestall release of a woefully inadequate DOH Review/Assessment.  See below.

I have written the Tompkins County Legislature, the Ithaca Common Council and various local officials across New York.  I have also reached out to members of the County Legislatures/Board of Supervisors in Broome, Tioga, Chemung, Steuben and Chenango counties.

I believe it will be possible to reach a goal of at least 100 signatories.  Please keep beating the bushes for signatories.  Use the form letter below.

Second, I again want to thank everyone who made generous gifts of assistance or wrote me so kindly.  Your assistance is more important than you will ever know.  Thank you on behalf of everyone who will benefit from your selflessness.

Conclusion

I cannot overemphasize that New York's decision to permit shale gas fracking could hinge on DOH's Review/Assessment.  It is imperative that it be comprehensive in scope, properly conducted and undertaken openly and transparently with a) full public notice, b) ample opportunity for public comment and c) a public hearing to allow testimony from all interested parties. 

Until the DOH Review/Assessment is completed, DEC has stated that neither a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) nor a shale gas Revised Rulemaking proposal will be finalized.   

DOH's review has received withering criticism because it is being conducted in secret without any public participation whatsoever.  The three outside experts hired by DOH are reportedly working a mere 25 hours. 

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2012-12-04/fracking-o... and http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2012-12-04/review-fra...

IT WOULD BE UNCONSCIONABLE AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF GOVERNOR CUOMO TO ALLOW THE DOH REVIEW/ASSESSMENT TO BE CONDUCTED IN SECRET WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT.  YET, THAT APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT HE PLANS TO DO.

It is entirely appropriate for the appointed Members of the DEC Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel to sign the coalition letter.  Ask them very respectfully to do so.  If you receive a favorable reply, please thank the Panel member profusely.

See Advisory Panel Members and Contact Info: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/dec-fracking-panel

Go hard.  Have fun.  Make it happen.

I hope to see you in Albany at the State of the State Address on 1/9/13.

Happy New Year!  Thank you so much.

Best,

Walter

Dear Governor Cuomo:

I have the honor of letting you know that a total of 50 government officials have now signed a coalition letter that respectfully requests that you immediately require public notice, public comment and a public hearing for your Department of Health's Review/Assessment of the Department of Environmental Conservation's "health impact analysis" of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

The officials include Mayors, Town Supervisors, County Legislators and Town/City Council Representatives.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/gov-coalition-letter...

I will keep you apprised as more officials become signatories. 

Very respectfully yours,

Walter Hang

Greetings:

I write to invite you to become a signatory to a government officials coalition letter that could help determine whether Governor Cuomo permits horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in New York's Marcellus Shale formation.

As you probably know, the State Department of Health is conducting a "Review/Assessment" of the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) "health impact analysis" of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Until that DOH Review/Assessment is completed, DEC has stated that neither a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) nor a shale gas Revised Rulemaking proposal will be finalized.   

DOH's review has received withering criticism because it is being conducted in secret without any public participation whatsoever.  The three outside experts hired by DOH are reportedly working a mere 25 hours.  DEC's "health impact analysis" has never been publicly released.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2012-12-04/fracking-o... and http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2012-12-04/review-fra...

Given the importance of the DOH Review/Assessment, it is critical that it be a) comprehensive in scope, b) properly conducted and c) undertaken openly and transparently.

To date, Governor Cuomo has utterly failed to respond to concerns raised about the Review/Assessment.

I invite you to become a signatory to a government officials coalition letter which respectfully requests that Governor Cuomo immediately require public notice, public comment and at least one public hearing for the DOH Review/Assessment.

After only a few days, the letter already has more than 50 signatories, including Mayors, Town Supervisors, County Legislators and Town Council representatives.

You can review and sign the letter by clicking here: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/gov-coalition-letter...

I trust that you will find this letter to be self-explanatory.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about it.

Thank you for your consideration.