Politics & Government

Advisory Panel Delays Fracking Report; Library Event Tonight on Issue

An event at Rye Free Reading Room Wednesday evening focuses on hydrofracking. New York State Environmental Commissioner Joe Martens has delayed the release of a report on the impact of the procedure because of inadequate data.

Environmentalists concerned about the potentially dangerous impact of hydrofracking are celebrating the delay of a state advisory panel report on the process. 

Judy Martin of Green Home Consulting and Energy Chair for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Annie Wilson will be at Rye Free Reading Room on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. for a discussion following the screening of The Next Frontier: Engineering the Golden Age of Green. 

According to a report from WSKGNews, State Environmental Commissioner Joe Martens said the panel, comprised of community and industry representatives, would not have their report by the original November 1 deadline because of insufficient data and that review of public comment on the issue may take several additional months.  

Find out what's happening in Ryewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Martens said it was unlikely the report would be ready in time for Gov. Cuomo's January budget proposal either and that he could not predict whether hydrofracking permits would be issued at any time in 2012.

In addition to extending public comment, the panel has been asked by members of the State Assembly to seek additional data on the impact of the hydrofracking process on other state agencies.

Find out what's happening in Ryewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hydrofracking is a gas extraction technique that injects pressurized fluids into underground rock layers


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