Gas Fracking in New York State
Photo Courtesy Giles Ashford
Since July 2008 Riverkeeper has tracked the prospect of industrial gas drilling in New York State. While gas drilling in New York is not new, what is new is the magnitude, scope, and location of the proposed drilling method of high-volume hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”. Indeed, industrial gas drilling throughout the Marcellus Shale and other shale reserves in New York has the potential to impact the environment and communities dramatically.
This is one reason why Governor Paterson ordered New York State to update an outdated environmental review of gas drilling impacts.
The entire West-of-Hudson portion of the New York City Watershed (supplying 90% of drinking water to over half the state’s population) sits on top of part of the Marcellus Shale, a large mineral reserve deposit deep beneath the earth’s surface. Oil and gas companies have known about this shale reserve for decades, but the technology to extract natural gas from it has become available only recently. The Marcellus Shale spans across at least five states. To extract natural gas from the mineral reserve, oil companies plan to use a process called “hydraulic fracturing.”
“Fracking” involves injecting toxic chemicals, sand, and millions of gallons of water under high pressure directly into shale formations. This toxic brew, along with any natural gas, is then extracted, or leaked to the surface. Whether any toxic discharges will flow into New York City’s drinking water supply is uncertain.
Riverkeeper has led the charge for industrial gas drilling using high-volume hydraulic fracturing to be banned within the NYC Watershed and all other sensitive water supply areas.
Fractured Communities Report
News and Press Releases
Support Our Watershed
RIVERKEEPER’S COMMENTS ON THE 2011 RDSGEIS
OTHER RDSGEIS COMMENTS 2011
RIVERKEEPER’S NOV. 2011 PRESENTATION ON FRACKING
FACT SHEET ON NEW YORK’S FRACKING PROPOSALS
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.’S APRIL 28, 2011 STATEMENT REGARDING HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
OTHER DSGEIS COMMENTS 2009-2010
RIVERKEEPER’S COMMENTS ON THE 2009 DSGEIS
RIVERKEEPER’S INDUSTRIAL GAS DRILLING REPORTERS
OTHER DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY RIVERKEEPER
THE MARCELLUS SHALE
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
NEW YORK STATE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
OTHER GAS DRILLING LINKS OF INTEREST
Upstate Fly Fishers 