Last Friday, a four judge panel of a New York appeals court upheld two local zoning laws that prohibit activities related to oil and gas exploration and development, including hydraulic fracturing. The decisions in Norse Energy Corp. USA v. Town of Dryden and Cooperstown Holstein Corp. v. Town of Middlefield mark the first appellate ruling… Continue Reading
Category Archives: New York
Subscribe to New York RSS FeedNew York State Assembly Votes to Extend Hydraulic Fracturing Moratorium
Posted in Hydraulic Fracturing, Legislative, New YorkThe New York State Assembly voted on March 6 to suspend the issuance of drilling permits for high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus and Utica formations until May 15, 2015. A copy of the bill—Assembly 5424-A—can be found here. The vote came as the state’s de facto moratorium approaches the five-year mark. Under the current… Continue Reading
Leaked New York Department of Health Report: Hydraulic Fracturing Can Be Safely Conducted
Posted in Disposal Wells, Groundwater, Hydraulic Fracturing, Legislative, New YorkA previously confidential New York state agency report analyzing the human health impact of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) operations released to a limited number of media outlets last Thursday concludes that HVHF can be performed safely under the state’s proposed regulations. The leaked February 2012 health assessment is a supplement to the comprehensive Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), a study… Continue Reading
Seven States File Notice of Intent To Sue USEPA Over Methane Emission Standards
Posted in Air Emissions, Hydraulic Fracturing, Litigation, New York, U.S. EPAOn December 11, 2012, a group of seven states led by New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneidermann notified the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their intent to sue the agency. The states–Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont–claim that EPA failed to address methane emissions standards for the oil and gas… Continue Reading
New York DEC Releases Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations, Extends Rulemaking Process
Posted in Chemical Disclosure, Disposal Wells, Groundwater, Hydraulic Fracturing, New York, WaterYesterday the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) filed with the New York Department of State a revised draft of its proposed regulations governing hydraulic fracturing in the state. According to reporting by the New York Daily News and other outlets, DEC faced a deadline of yesterday by which to file the draft rules in order to… Continue Reading