KINGSTON, NY—-ScheinMedia and the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force are pleased to present a public forum, “The Future of Gas Drilling in New York State,” on Monday, March 8 from 5:45 to 8 pm at SUNY New Paltz.
The event features a closing keynote by U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, representatives from New York City, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the gas industry. ScheinMedia founder and CEO Jonathan A. Schein will serve as a moderator of the panel section of the event.
The Marcellus Shale, which spans four states, including large parts of New York, is one of the largest gas deposits in the country. With energy and economic security issues facing the country, the future of gas drilling in New York is one of the most important economic and environmental issues the state has ever confronted. Faced with an enormous state deficit, New York State Governor David Paterson is attempting to balance intense pressure from landowners and the gas industry, with several serious environmental issues and concerns raised by anti-drilling groups and New York City, which seeks to protect its watershed from potential contamination and environmental damage that may result from gas drilling. The economic benefits associated with gas industry development must be weighed against potential harm to human health and the environment.
Of major concern is hydraulic fracturing, “fracking,” the controversial drilling technology that opened shale gas deposits across the country to profitable drilling, and which is exempt from federal safe drinking water laws. It’s up to the states to develop regulations on the process and conduct oversight.
Massive amounts of water and chemicals are used in hydraulic fracturing, a technique developed to access oil and gas trapped in hard-to-reach shale formations. In the autumn of 2009 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urged state regulators to further study the environmental impact and establish “essential environmental protection measures” before drilling permits are issued by the state DEC, which oversees drilling in New York. However, there seems to be debate within the EPA on this issue, as a February 16 Dow Jones News Report stated: “State regulators are doing a good job overseeing a key natural gas production technique called hydrofracking and there's no evidence the process causes water contamination, a senior federal environment official said Monday.”
The March 8 event is organized to allow both pro and con opinions to be expressed about gas drilling in the region. The forum will include a panel, keynote address by Congressman Hinchey, and a town hall forum with the audience.
The forum is being organized by Paul McGinniss, ScheinMedia’s Green Advocate columnist; ScheinMedia; and the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force. The event will take place in Lecture Center room 100. For directions, visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/about/directions.html.
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