Jane Park

ITHACA-- The future of Marcellus Shale hydraulic fracturing in New York faces more push-back from local politicians.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) was in Ithaca Wednesday to sign a letter asking Gov. Paterson to withdraw the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) the state Department of Environmental Conservation released last year.

ELMIRA-- New York's chief environmental officer was fired, after a memo critical of layoffs became public.

Governor Paterson's office confirmed the firing of State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis, who's led the agency since 2007. The governor's office instructed the DEC to cut another 209 workers by the end of the year.