ALBANY – As environmental groups across the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions and statewide lobby the state Assembly to have it approve a moratorium on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation until all studies have been completed, a gas and oil trade association is urging lawmakers not to do it.
The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York says the bill would halt most oil and gas drilling currently allowed, would intrude on the current work of the state DEC and contain flaws that would harm the state's entire oil and gas industry.
The group said the bill would bar existing safe drilling that has been going on in the state; result in the loss of 5,000 jobs; and jeopardize $1 million in annual revenue the state collects from traditional drilling permit fees.
“The members of the Assembly must understand that [the proposed legislation] would jeopardize an industry that has operated safely in New York for more than 100 years and employes more than 5,000 people today,” said Brad Gill, executive director of the association. “We hope the Assembly will allow the DEC to complete its review of the state's regulations governing high volume fracturing and not cave to the smear campaign being waged by radical opponents against the people of our industry.”
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