NEW YORK—New Yorkers attended four public hearings on Wednesday to voice their concerns about or support for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the method of obtaining natural gas by blasting shale with a solution of water and chemicals.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) opened a 60-day period of public comment on its Supplement Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) on fracking in August. The DEC later extended the comment period to 90 days, and on Wednesday it again announced a 30-day extension. The last day to submit a comment is now January 11, 2012.
“We'll claim that as a victory,” said Eric Weltman of Food and Water Watch, who has long been adamantly opposed to fracking moving ahead in New York state.
In a theater-style classroom at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on Chambers Street hundreds filled the seats for the last hearing at 6 p.m.
A proponent of fracking distributed fliers outside.
“I think it’s going to bring jobs,” said David Hammer, 62, a retired state parole officer. “If we don’t want to be dependent on other countries for energy, we’re going to have to get it somehow.”
Some opponents of fracking refused Hammer’s literature. They remain skeptical about the ability of gas companies to frack without adversely affecting communities upstate and the environment. Much of the concern revolves around the contamination of drinking water, something that opponents and some experts say has happened in other parts of the country where fracking is already legal. Other concerns include fracking using too much water, creating too much noise pollution, and disrupting the tourism industry upstate.
“Ban fracking” signs piled up at the doors, as attendees were prohibited from bringing them inside. At a DEC table outside the theater, DEC representatives congenially debated with fracking opponents and educated attendees who wondered what political process must take place before fracking laws are finalized.
The DEC will review public comments, which will inform its final SGEIS and will then have to pass through state’s Legislature. The final step is Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature—he has veto power over any decision made in the Legislature. The state will not issue any permits for horizontal fracking until this whole process is complete.
Within, fingers wiggled in support of comments made by fracking opponents—the common sign of approval among the Occupy Wall Street crowd.
Venetia Lannon, New York City regional director for the state DEC, noted that most attendees and most people living in the city oppose fracking. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said he had to give the governor credit for bringing the hearings downstate where the opposition is so heated.
“The governor is telling New Yorkers he wants to hear their views,” said Stringer, commending the public involvement in the process.
Lannon was impressed by the well-researched and informed comments she heard from the public throughout the day, though she noted, “There’s a huge emotional component. Most of the technical responses were submitted in written form.”
An attendee pointed to a giant tome on the DEC table—the 1,500-page SGEIS—and said, “A lot of people seem to be dissing that.” Lannon suggested he read it, to which he responded, “That’s not going to happen!”
“The thing we have the hardest time with is public relations,” said Lannon afterward. “We’re dealing with policy that is wonky to communicate.” She said the environmental groups, as well as the gas companies and scientists have nonetheless been “plowing through” the SGEIS.
The public has its work cut out for it getting through the SGEIS, but the DEC also has quite a job ahead of it getting through the multitude of public comments. As of Sept. 7, the DEC had received 13,000 public comments, according to a DEC press release from that time.
How to comment:
1. Speak at a public hearing. View dates and times at http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/75370.html#Comment
2. Submit an electronic comment: http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html
3. Mail comment to:
Attn: dSGEIS Comments
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY
12233-6510
