U.S. Congressman Tom Reed said new regulations for hydraulic fracturing on federal lands should be more than enough reason for Governor Andrew Cuomo to reconsider his ban on the drilling practice.
Reed said that while President Obama based his decision for the regulations on hard science, Cuomo took the easy way out.
“I can’t believe how ironic it is that in New York State, Governor Cuomo came to the conclusion that he needed to ban fracking because he just couldn’t figure it out. Yet in Washington, D.C., the Obama administration has come together, put together a regulatory oversight and is moving forward,” Reed said.
Reed said Cuomo’s decision was a politically motivated action, aimed at appeasing his voter base, instead of land owners and farmers. He says the issue ought to be focused on developing well-paying jobs and ensuring energy security. He pointed to the unfolding situation in Yemen and the Middle East in saying anything that makes the United States more energy secure is good policy.
