Fracking absent from State of State

A printed transcript of the governor’s 33-page speech devoted six nondescript sentences to the subject of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the controversial means of extracting natural gas from shale rock by the high-pressure application of water and chemicals underground, in New York’s Southern Tier. Some of the chemicals are known carcinogens.

The sentences said the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation continues to study fracking’s potential impacts on air and water, and continues to review more than 15,000 comments made at public hearings around the state.

The sentences were deleted from the speech delivered in Albany, and those with concerns over how fracking could affect the air and groundwater that supplies New York City are crossing their fingers.

“I’m actually pleased,” said state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), a virulent opponent of the practice.

“I think Gov. Cuomo came into office open to the idea of issuing permits for drilling while we studied the effects on the air and water,” Addabbo said. “I say we shouldn’t even do that. We have a moratorium in place until the DEC and [Environmental Protection Agency] reports are out. Why issue permits yet?”

Cuomo’s office did not comment as to why the deleted sentences were removed. Addabbo feels it just might have to do with the resistance from environmentalists primed for Cuomo’s address.

“The fracking protesters were some of the loudest protesters here,” the senator said. “And in my opinion, they were heard.”

If there is a more antifracking official than Addabbo at the city level, it would be Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows).

Gennaro, a trained geologist and chairman of the council’s Environmental Protection Committee, also thinks the omission could be very significant.

“As much as the governor and his people want to pursue fracking — and they do want to — I think they are running up against their own inconvenient truth,” Gennaro said, a reference to the title of a global warming documentary by former Vice President Al Gore.

Gennaro said research is being conducted around the country to examine just how the chemicals can affect underground rock; whether they can migrate through the cracks and fissures created; and whether or not they might make the ground unstable should they migrate into fault areas.

He supports a seven-mile buffer around drill sites, while the state right now is considering 1,000 feet.

“There still is so much science on this we don’t know about,” Gennaro said. “Should we rush this given what we know regarding the risks?”

The New York League of Conservation Voters gave Cuomo high marks for the energy portion of his speech, saying he made a welcome and serious commitment to initiatives like solar and wind power and green technology.

“Environmentally, this is the best State of the State speech we’ve heard in at least five years,” said NYLCV spokesman Dan Hendrick.

Nevertheless, he is every bit as convinced as Gennaro that hydrofracking is another way the governor wants to go. And he is far less optimistic about Cuomo’s omission than Addabbo.

That said, Hendrick added that residents and elected officials must consider all public input, avail themselves of the best scientific studies, and demand and put in place the best protections possible.

“It’s clear that this is one of the most controversial things New York State is facing,” Hendrick said. “And clearly the DEC is proceeding with its plans. Simply because he took it out of his speech does not mean he is not going to go ahead full steam.”