Fracking decision unlikely to have much impact in NYC s upstate watershed

[hrmjustin]

By Jay Braman Jr.

This week’s ruling by the state Court of Appeals that municipalities can ban fracking in their borders isn’t likely to matter much New York City’s upstate watershed region because the controversial process is expected to be banned in the entire area.

Timothy Cox, the attorney for the Catskill Watershed Corp., said a draft of New York state rules about fracking “signal the state’s intent” to forbid the natural gas extraction method in the watershed, which locally includes parts of Ulster, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Schoharie counties.

Cox noted, though, that the final word still has not come down from the state Department of Health.

“We are all still waiting for the assessment to be completed,” he said.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20140701/fracking-decision-unlikely-to-have-much-impact-in-nycs-upstate-watershed