Marcellus Shale Press Coverage

ALBANY -- In a surprise move Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a long-awaited summary of major, sweeping changes to its ongoing review of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, a day before a full 900-page report is due to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The new recommendations include an outright ban of high-volume hydrofracking in the Syracuse and New York City watersheds and also would prohibit drilling on the surface of state-owned land. That stipulation could have a significant impact on one of the largest of the Southern Tier's landowner coalitions.

AUBURN – The debate over natural gas well water at the city sewage plant continued as residents, city officials and the natural gas industry sounded off on the issue.

Multiple industry professionals discussed the drilling, permitting and testing process during Thursday’s city council meeting, asking councilors to consider what they said is all the data before deciding whether to stop processing well water at the plant.

At the same meeting, area residents continued asking the city to stop taking the water, which they say is an environmental hazard.

An Auburn group is planning a rally on Thursday to try to convince the city to stop accepting wastewater produced by natural gas drilling companies.
The protest will start at 4 p.m. outside Memorial City Hall, 24 South St., a half-hour before city council convenes inside the building.

“The message we want (to send) is that we want the city to stop taking any natural gas drilling wastewater,’’ said Beth Beer Cuddy, one of the founding members of the Cayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance.