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Environmentalists: SGEIS Outdated; Urge Cuomo to Withdraw Study

07/08/14


Anti-fracking activists make a new call to Governor Cuomo to withdraw the state's environmental impact statement, or SGEIS, because they say it is outdated.

The activists, including former Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan, say the 2009 document is inadequate since it doesn't include research conducted since then. They are sending Governor Cuomo a letter calling for him to withdraw the SGEIS.

Walter Hang, president of Toxics Targeting said, "so it is simply not current. It is not reflecting the most recent understanding of what's going on with regard to shale fracking, threats to public health and the environment."

“If you're really going to have the safest protocol in the whole country you have to look at what's happening recently and update your documents accordingly,” said Ryan.

Fracking critics hope to see a comprehensive state health study completed on the issue before the state allows the drilling process.

Critics won a major victory last week after New York’s highest court’s ruled that local governments had the right to ban fracking.