Marcellus Shale Press Coverage

I'm beginning to wonder if high-volume hydraulic fracturing, the method of extracting natural gas from tight shale formations underground, will ever be allowed in New York.

I don't say that because opponents have successfully lobbied against it. I say that after looking at the enormity of the task now facing New York's Department of Environmental Conservation.

"For some of the regulatory programs like if you were dumping gas drilling wastewater into a local municipal treatment plant, EPA is the principal authority," said Walter Hang, President of Toxics Targeting.

And Hang says the EPA has submitted almost twice as many comments as it did for the first SGEIS draft in 2009.

"The main concerns were failure to come up with a way to deal with this incredibly toxic wastewater, failure to protect drinking water, failure to protect radiologic hazards for both the worker and environment."

Wednesday marked the deadline for public comment on the state's environmental impact statement about fracking.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is readying comments for the state.

The EPA expects to release those comments before midnight Wednesday.

The agency delivered comments on a previous draft of the impact statement back in 2009.

Fracking opponents hope the EPA echoes their concerns.

In downtown Binghamton Tuesday morning, a group opposed to fracking set up shop on the sidewalk near the Holiday Inn Arena.