Shift by Cuomo on Gas Drilling Prompts Both Anger and Praise

[Octafish]

Source: The New York Times

Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

ALBANY — A few months after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was poised to approve hydraulic fracturing in several struggling New York counties, his administration is reversing course and starting the regulatory process over, garnering praise from environmental groups and stirring anger among industry executives and upstate landowners.

Ten days ago, after nearly four years of review by state regulators, the governor bowed to entreaties from environmentalists to conduct another study, this one an examination of potential impacts on public health. Neither the governor nor other state officials have given any indication of how long the study might take.

Then on Friday, state environmental officials said they would restart the regulatory rule-making process, requiring them to repeat a number of formal steps, including holding a public hearing, and almost certainly pushing a decision into next year.

The move also means that after already receiving nearly 80,000 public comments, the state Department of Environmental Conservation will be soliciting more input from New Yorkers about hydrofracking, or fracking, as the drilling process for natural gas is known.

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Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/nyregion/with-new-delays-a-growing-sense-that-gov-andrew-cuomo-will-not-approve-gas-drilling.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0&wpisrc=nl_wonk

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The great DUer H20 Man has stood up to power -- and put his own health on the line -- in working to stop the "Fracking" of New York State. It seems like their Herculean efforts may be paying off. This is cross-posted in GD for a good old-fashioned DU piling on.

[Indi Guy]

1. Wohoo! Finally some sanity in government... n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Kudos to H2O Man

[KT2000]

3. Yeah H2O Man!!

This is amazing and shows that the people need to stand up because ti does make a difference.

[monmouth]

4. I hate to be a cynic here but Cuomo should have known better. I'm thinking in back of his mind

this fracking stupidity turned out to be a not so good thing for a guy thinking about running for President in '16. I'm just saying....

[KamaAina]

12. Andrew Cuomo? President?!

"Cuomo '16. He's slightly better than a repuke."

[monmouth]

13. There has been chit chat about his entering that little race...LOL...n/t

[H2O Man]

14. His committee

for 2016 has been operational for at least 18 months now.

[monmouth]

15. Congrats to you H20 and many thanks for all that you do...n/t

[Squinch]

5. I disagree with Cuomo on a ton of things, but I think he at least wants to do the right thing.

Last edited Mon Oct 1, 2012, 05:56 PM - Edit history (1)

This decision is doing a lot for my opinion of him.

[PATRICK]

8. Consider the cost

in going against these fracking forces. besides all the carrots that the state budget could use(but, like it is so great for Louisiana, right?) the stick is terrible. They do ANYTHING to get their way. You can say they would stop short of murder but they wouldn't.

They can put the big hurt on Cuomo no matter what the popular backing. This IS an act of political courage, commitment to his own independence and doing the right thing. Without the demonstrators he couldn't defend the state and he would be swamped into oblivion. he knows that too though the people don't. Whatever happens the environmental rapist profiteers will be vengeful- even for modest regulation. he has made some enemies like that before as AG and likely thinks he can Teddy Roosevelt them into line the new smooth New Dem way, but these are front line sharks.

They run all the same ops as they do in the "third world" to bully, lie, bribe, cheap out on safety, devastate and desertify and overthrow governments. Doing what they say is deadly. Opposing them is deadly. Once in they are much deadlier to remove.

Cuomo deserves more support than he could ever earn by his own records and merits, because he has not yet become part of the physical and political ruin of our state. Imagine ONE GOP governor in NYS if Cuomo lets them get their foot in the door even with heavy regulations. Or not. They will do anything to get him out of office because they are monsters. He did not let them in right away and supports the people pressure. For that alone he is marked.

[Squinch]

11. I think you are right about the "fracking forces" and political courage is a rare, lovely thing.

[bread_and_roses]

6. I detest Cuomo but HURRAH for H2O Man!

I credit the dedicated activists who've been working so hard on this - NOT Cuomo. I live in Southern Tier - in one of the Counties slated for drilling - very glad to read this. Thank you thank you H2O and other activists. Water is the new GOLD. ANY threat to water should be enough to put a stop to this hydrofracking-horror.

[RoccoR5955]

7. I was at one of the hearings

They weren't long or detailed enough. I hope that the handwriting is in the wall for this stupid process of fracking. There is no way on earth, hell, or the rest of the universe that it is safe, nor can it be made safe.

[Liberalynn]

10. Totally agree

[Samantha]

9. Wow, H20 Man, you are a hero

Congratulations on your sacrifice and good works!

Sam