6/23/10 – A coalition of business, labor and economic development groups, led by the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York, today appealed to the New York State Legislature to oppose legislation to establish a statutory moratorium on gas drilling in New York.

Thirty-three groups, including chambers of commerce, labor and other pro-business and pro-taxpayer groups, implored lawmakers to allow the State Department of Environmental Conservation to complete its review of the environmental impact statement governing natural gas exploration.

“We need your support for this compelling economic development opportunity, one that could benefit the State and localities significantly for years to come,” the groups wrote. “We believe that the way forward to the safe development of the Marcellus Shale is now clear. We should embrace our state’s ability to bring New York-produced gas to New York customers, and by so doing create new opportunity and prosperity in our own state.”

One bill, A.10490-A (Englebright)/ S.7592-A (Addabbo), would impose a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until 120 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency completes yet another study on the technique. Another bill, S.8129-B (Thompson)/ A.11443-B (Sweeney) would block all permits for horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale until at least May 15, 2011.

The Marcellus is perhaps the largest natural gas reserve in the United States with the potential to dramatically increase America’s energy independence while vastly improving economic recovery and job creation.

“We ask you to let the process proceed with the DEC continuing the review and revisions to the SGEIS. There are no permits being issued at this time. There is no need for a statutory moratorium,” the signers wrote. “We believe that New York cannot afford to turn away or postpone the tremendous opportunity for economic resurgence and a clean energy supply presented by the Marcellus Shale.”  

Download a PDF of the sign on letter here.

Supporting Organizations include: 

Independent Gas & Oil Association of NY

Delaware County Board of Supervisors

Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce

Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce

Independent Power Producers of NY

Manufacturers Association of Central New York

National Federation of Independent Business

New York State Pipe Trades Association

New York Construction Materials Association

New York State Economic Development Council

New York State Petroleum Council

New York State Motor Truck Association

Railroads of New York, Inc.

Southern Tier Economic Group

The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Unshackle Upstate

Finger Lakes Railway

The New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway Corporation

Owego Harford Railway

Delaware & Hudson Railway/Canadian Pacific Railway

Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad Company

New York & Ogdensburg Railroad Company

Northeast Gas Association

Joint Landowners Coalition of New York, Inc.

B & H Rail Corporation/Livonia, Avon, Lakeville Railroad Corporation

Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad Company

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Energy In Depth

New York & Atlantic Railway

New York Building Congress

Associated General Contractors of NYS

New York & Lake Erie Railroad

Marcellus Shale Coalition

6/21/10 – Those planning to tune in to HBO tonight to view the anti-drilling film “Gasland” should know this: it is a fairy tale; pure fiction and poorly disguised as a factual documentary.

Independent filmmaker Josh Fox misleads his audience and takes enormous liberties with history and fact in his new, sensationalized “documentary,” in which he chronicles his cross-country trip to find incidences of pollution by oil and gas operators. Energy In Depth, a respected industry trade group, broke down the movie minute-by-minute to counter the false claims, assumptions and ridiculous conclusions Fox made during his journey. Energy In Depth set the record straight.   

“I’m certain that Mr. Fox never thought his film would get so much attention, so he probably wasn’t concerned about being exposed for his deceitful and sloppy work,” said IOGA of New York spokesman Jim Smith. “But no one should get a free pass to lie to the American people. I commend Energy in Depth for shining a light on the absurd and irresponsible claims Mr. Fox makes in his project.”      

Mr. Fox misrepresents the laws governing drilling, and the processes involved in natural gas exploration; he reiterates myths that have long been discredited and, in many cases, rewrites history. The following examples from Energy in Depth demonstrate his recklessness with the facts:

Fox states that the 2005 energy bill exempts the oil and natural gas industries from the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Superfund law, and about a dozen other environmental and Democratic regulations. This entire statement is false. The industry is regulated under every one of these laws under provisions of each that are relevant to its operations.

The film claims there is no way to monitor what chemicals and materials oil and gas industries are using. This is blatantly false. Environmental regulations from Pennsylvania, which can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Conservation’s website, state that “drilling companies must disclose the names of all chemicals to be stored and used at a drilling site.” New York’s DEC website also lists the ingredients. In addition, law requires the fracturing fluid ingredients be posted at drill sites. 

In order to frack, you need some fracking fluid … a mix of over 596 chemicals.” According to a U.S. Department of Energy/Ground Water Protection Council report, “any single fracturing job would use a few of the available additives.” The most prominent of these additives, besides sand, is a substance known as guar gum, an emulsifier commonly found in ice cream.

“A typical hydraulic fracturing job will use 10 to 12 ingredients other than water and sand,” Smith said.

View the full text of the analysis at www.energyindepth.org/2010/06/debunking-gasland.

This is the fifth in the series of postcards advocating for safe natural gas exploration in New York that are being sent to the New York State Legislature.

Turn Off The Lights

This is the fourth in the series of postcards advocating for safe natural gas exploration in New York that are being sent to the New York State Legislature.

Abandoned Potential

This is the third in the series of postcards advocating for safe natural gas exploration in New York that are being sent to the New York State Legislature.

Obama Supports Natural Gas Exploration