By Tom Precious
ALBANY -- If Gov. Andrew Cuomo thought 2013 would get off to as carefree a start as the previous two legislative sessions, along comes this rather sharply worded letter from three Assembly committee chairs over the natural gas fracking issue.
The letter from the three Democratic lawmakers comes at a time when Senate Republicans have refused to give Cuomo the quick political victory he wanted with new gun restrictions in the wake of the Connecticut school shootings.
Here is the letter issued this afternoon by the three Assembly chairs to the commissioners of the state environmental conservation and health departments. It rather directly accuses the Cuomo administration of reaching conclusions on fracking before proper research is completed.
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ROBERT SWEENEY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 625 LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING ALBANY, NY 12248 SWEENEYR@ASSEMBLY.STATE.NY.US |
RICHARD N. GOTTFRIED COMMITTEE ON HEALTH 822 LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING ALBANY, NY 12248 GOTTFRR@ASSEMBLY.STATE.NY.US |
CHARLES LAVINE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION REVIEW COMMISSION 441 LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING ALBANY, NY 12248 LAVINEC@ASSEMBLY.STATE.NY.US |
January 8, 2013
Joseph Martens, Commissioner
Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
Nirav Shah, MD, Commissioner
Department of Health
Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237
Dear Commissioner Martens and Commissioner Shah:
We call on the administration to suspend the public comment period for the proposed revised regulations of high volume hydraulic fracturing until the state discloses all of its studies and analyses of fracking, as has been demanded under the Freedom of Information Law, and a thorough health impact review is completed and published.
In addition, the departments have been invited to appear at the Assembly hearing on January 10. We request that the departments bring all books, papers, and items including information provided to the consultants, which the agency has in its possession, custody or control concerning the potential health impacts of natural gas drilling, including high volume hydraulic fracturing.
Press reports have disclosed that the state administration produced an evaluation of fracking that claims it would cause no harm to human health. We are concerned that this evaluation reflects the thinking of people who are helping shape the administration's decision on fracking. The evaluation suggests that conclusions have been drawn before research is conducted. There is evidence that suggests there is a potential for real danger. The document released to the press does not review what might happen if something goes wrong - which has been known to happen in other states.
The administration is receiving public comments on its proposed regulations on fracking. The comment period ends on Friday, January 11, 2013. The Department of Health is still reviewing the health impacts of fracking, although the extent of that review is not clear, and the FOIL demands for disclosure of studies and data have not yet been fulfilled.
If the public is to provide meaningful comment on the proposed regulations, the public should be able to see the studies and analysis that were produced at public expense.
Very truly yours,
Robert Sweeney Richard N. Gottfried Charles Lavine
