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Arcuri joins call to withdraw DEC drilling statement
TRUMANSBURG -- Congressman Michael A. Arcuri has literally signed on to an effort activists believe will ensure safer natural-gas drilling in New York.
Arcuri put his name on the "Withdraw the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) Coalition Letter," Monday afternoon at the Taughannock Falls overlook. The letter, composed by Toxics Targeting President Walter Hang, was sent to Gov. David Paterson and the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
About a dozen people were on hand for Arcuri's visit, including Hang, Ulysses Supervisor Roxanne Marino, Trumansburg Mayor Martin Petrovic, Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson, and a number of environmental activists.
Arcuri, a Utica Democrat seeking a third term from the 24th District, signed the letter because he believes that the SGEIS doesn't go far enough to protect the environment and public from the potential hazards from natural gas drilling, according to a statement from his office. The DEC issued the draft SGEIS in September to analyze the effects of shale gas development using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.
More than 10,000 people have signed the letter, which will be re-sent to Paterson with Arcuri's signature, Hang said. He culled through tens of thousands of DEC spill reports and found that fires, explosions, wastewater discharge and water contamination had occurred in areas where drilling and hydrofracking had been done, he added.
Arcuri's opponent, businessman Richard Hanna, said last week the does not support hydraulic fracturing but the decision should left to science.
"What we're asking is, ... let's take a step back, let's pump the brakes a little bit and let's make sure before we take this dramatic step forward, that we're taking every possible precaution," Arcuri said.
While commending Paterson's budget efforts, Arcuri stressed that cutting DEC funding when there may be increased drilling is "a recipe for disaster," and drilling licensing fees are supposed to pay for DEC staff who ensure safe drilling.
We need gas and oil, but while we can live without those things, we can't live without water, he added.
Arcuri's signature is important because his district includes a huge part of the shale formation, Hang said.
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 News Clip of Arcuri Signing Coalition Letter | 33.2 KB |
DEC Commissioner Fired After Criticism of Layoffs Goes Public
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.
But after an undated, unsigned memo from the agency warned cuts would slow down natural gas development, endanger the environment, and curtail economic development, Commissioner Grannis was fired.
The ouster surprised a lot of people. Our media partner, the Star-Gazette, put a copy of the memo on its website. In it, the DEC asks Paterson to reconsider layoffs. A lot of people wonder how the agency will protect the environment with a smaller staff.
The memo states:
“Further staff reductions may result in potential serious risks to human health and safety and environmental quality.
“All the meat has been stripped from the bones, and some of the bones have disappeared.
“Cuts to our minerals division will mean fewer staff available to review applications and oversee activities related to natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.”
Environmental watchdog Walter Hang has criticized Grannis and the the DEC's oversight of Marcellus Shale drilling. But Friday, he praised Grannis as an environmental champion, and a serious loss to the agency.
“He had told me he had been in a big fight with the governor to oppose across the board cuts,” said Hang.
Grannis seems to have lost the battle with the lame duck administration. Local candidates hopeful for a seat in the new legislature say the future of Marcellus Shale development hangs in limbo.
Democrat Pam Mackesey wants a moratorium on drilling. Her Republican opponent Tom O'Mara is sticking to what he's said before: Leave drilling to the experts.
“The DEC didn't have to go through any other process. As it stands right now, they could start issuing permits tomorrow. And so, it's a terrifying prospect,” said Mackesey.
O'Mara said, “Just because we're seeing a change at the top, that doesn't mean that that's gonna affect the daily process of professionally reviewing.”
The DEC referred all questions to the governor's office, where a spokesperson declined to give a reason for firing Grannis.
Public Hearing on Broome County Gas Drilling Lease
This was the scene last month's EPA gas drilling hearing in Binghamton, Thursday night it was a much quieter picture as the public gave their opinion on the county becoming the lead agency that will review a generic lease for oil and natural gas drilling.
Thursday only one man sat behind a table, representing the Broome County Legislature, to hear the public's thoughts.
An earlier bid fell though but the county has made some changes this time around and is moving forward.
"It has taken out some areas that many people feel are more valuable because of geology," said Scott Kurkoski, Attorney, Joint Landowners Coalition, N.Y.
But the plan still contains valuable property to the community.
"Many of the public properties that are being considered for gas leasing are next to schools, churches, residential ares, parks, wet lands and even public water supply wells," said Walter Hang, President of Toxic Targeting.
Many expressed their fear over the quality of their drinking water
"We look all around the universe looking for water on planets. that is the one this we can tell about a planet. This is the one planet, so far, that has water.the is the one. We can't not destroy it. we have 1/3 of the planets fresh water in this state and in the Great Lakes," said David Fry, BU Junior.
Despite water pollution in Dimock, Pennsylvania that state environmental regulators blame on gas drilling, industry supporters insist water isn't at risk.
"Sixty years of hydro-fracking and no evidence what so ever of ground well contamination in all those million wells," said Kurkoski.
There were even differing opinions on whether the county is capable of leading a project like this.
"The Broome County Legislature is in no way prepared technology wise or legally to conduct this incredibly complicated review," said Hang.
But one attorney believes Broome County is ready to lead.
"We really commend our county on its efforts. our county is more educated about this issue that any other in the state," said Kurkoski.
Hydrofracking Drama Gets Hollywood Boost
The drama of the natural gas saga in the Southern Tier can often seem like something out of a movie, and tonight someone out of a movie added another scene to the screenplay.
"All I'm saying is if we're going to do this, let's do it safely, because once the cat's out of the bag, there's no getting it back in," said actor Mark Ruffalo.
Mark Ruffalo has starred in Hollywood hits such as 'Shutter Island' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' but his latest, ongoing role has been as an anti-drilling activist.
"I live in Sullivan County, this is my home, I'm not an actor who decided to do this because I want a hobby," Ruffalo said.
Ruffalo joined other opponents of hydro fracking at Binghamton University for a forum on the issue, which aimed to inform the public, and mainly students about what they say are the dangers of drilling in the Marcellus Shale.
"To have somebody so familiar speak about something that is important to everybody, I think that will make a difference," said BU senior Ben Williamson.
Some students may have been star struck, but say the celebrity support shows this environmental issue affects everybody.
"Whether you're famous, whether you're a millionaire, whether you're poor, whether you're middle class, whether you're a plumber, whether you're a lawyer, environmental issues affect the entire population," said Chiara Zaccheo.
And Ruffalo says sharing his thoughts with students is important for the future, because they will be the ones making the decisions regarding the issue in years to come.
Decisions that will affect those he cares most about.
"This is my life, these are my children, and I'd always intended for them to live on this farm through their generation and generations after that," Ruffalo said.
Students at BU listen to anti-hydrofracking panel
There's been so much talk about hydrofracking in the Southern Tier, but for the most part, students have been left out of the conversation. Monday night was their chance to hear about the issue from some notable names. Our Carmen Perez attended a forum at Binghamton University and has more from the newsroom.
VESTAL, N.Y. -- Monday was a unique opportunity for students to get up to date on the gas drilling debate. About 400 people came out to listen to gas drilling opponents speak their mind on the issue.
Some may have come to Monday night's panel just to see him...
"I love Mark Ruffalo so I want to see him in person," one student said.
But Mark Ruffalo came to spread a message. As a resident of Sullivan County, he is on the front lines of the natural gas drilling debate.
"This is a serious issue that a lot of people don't know about and when they are educated on it, they seem to really see clearly on it," Ruffalo said.
And students agree. Organized by campus environmental groups, the information session was aimed at getting their fellow peers in on the discussion about hydrofracking, one that, for the most part, has been left out of.
"It is such an important issue and the magnitude the extent of the effect on our clean water and students' clean water is tremendous and students do not realize that," said BU student Seth Litwack.
"I don't agree that they should do it and I want to learn even more about it," said BU student Sonia Moreno.
Speakers are hoping that by educating students, they will be inspired to action.
"It is their future. It is their environment. So they have got to get much more knowledgeable about what is at stake," said Walter Hang, Toxics Targeted President.
Now you may have noticed the panel was made up of all anti-drilling speakers. That's because the session was organized by student environmental groups opposed to natural gas drilling.