The New York State Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee has voted in favor of a law that would defer the issuance of new hydrofracking permits amid increased environmental and health concerns about the controversial natural gas extraction method.
The bill, if passed, would temporarily halt the distribution of permits to new wells that use hydroracking to unearth natural gas. The moratorium would grant the state legislature more time to review an environmental impact statement that is currently being prepared by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Water contamination, chemical spills and habitat damage has occurred in other states that have permitted the use of hydrofracking, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Colorado. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, per Congress’s wish, is evaluating hydrofracking in preparation for a report it will release in late 2012.
Silver anticipates the Assembly’s approval of the NYS bill before the end of the current legislative session.
