The New York State Assembly voted by 95 to 40 Wednesday to ban hydrofracking in New York for at least another two years.The bill imposes a moratorium on fracking until May 15, 2015, and also calls for the State University of New York to conduct an independent health review, says Assembly Environmental Committee Chair Robert Sweeney.
“This, we have to recognize, is an industrial activity,” said Sweeney. “There are health problems that are inherent in this activity.”
Concerns range from protecting drinking water to potential effects from byproducts of the drilling like methane and radioactive materials.
A similar ban is stalled in the State Senate. Environmental groups are encouraged by the action and say the moratorium reflects public sentiment. The lobby group for the gas industry, the Independent Oil and Gas Association, calls the measure “seriously ill-informed”.
Governor Cuomo’s own fracking review process is currently stalled. The governor says he is waiting for his Health Commissioner to look at more studies.
