The Bloomberg administration demanded a ban on natural gas drilling near upstate reservoirs Wednesday, saying it would pose "unacceptable risks" to the city's drinking water.
Drilling for gas in the watershed could leak toxic chemicals into drinking water, causing unknown health risks, a report by the city Department of Environmental Protection said.
To combat contamination, officials contend they would need to build a giant water filtration system that would cost $10 billion to build and $100 million a year to run.
That would translate to a 30% hike in city water rates, officials predicted.
"As staggering as that amount of money is, it's not just about the money," said Acting DEP Commissioner Steven Lawitts. "The risks are simply not worth it."
The state unveiled a plan this year that permits natural gas drilling in the so-called Marcellus Shale Formation, an energy-rich geological area running from upstate New York to western Virginia.
Experts say drilling could pump $1 billion a year into the state's struggling economy.
The city asked that its 2,000- square-mile watershed in the Catskills, which falls within the Marcellus Shale, be excluded.
Gov. Paterson favors natural gas drilling because it brings jobs and generates dollars to plug the widening budget deficit.
His office did not respond to the city report, but the issue is expected to pit Mayor Bloomberg against Paterson.
The nation is watching the debate unfold in New York as other cities see natural gas drilling as a quick way to generate cash without weighing the long-term health implications.
Environmental groups oppose the practice. Reports of contaminated drinking water associated with drilling have surfaced in Pennsylvania and Texas.
"The governor's wrong-headed gas drilling scheme could doom the city's unfiltered drinking water supply," said Eric Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The drilling process involves shooting large amounts of water and chemicals into rock to extract gas.
"This is not your father's gas drilling operation," said City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Queens), who heads the Council's Environmental Protection Committee.
The state asked for feedback on its draft drilling plan from the city and other counties by the end of the year, a study Lawitts found "seriously flawed" and full of "unacceptable risks" to the water supply.
klucadamo@nydailynews.com
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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/12/24/2009-12-24_gas_drill_imperils_water_mike_sez.html
New York City needs to build a filtration-based water system and stop enslaving the watershed areas with little or no compensation to the landowners. The State of NY has been forcing municipalities to update water systems for a long time and much larger percentage cost increases to the users than 30%. NYC water users need to start paying a fair price for their water! Drilling should be allowed. NYC should also allow local development of the water reservoirs for hydroelectric power to encourage local economies upstate but Bloomburg killed that effort too! Grow up NYC!
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