Prohibiting Hydrofracking Is the Only Way to Protect Our Drinking Water
A great number of people have contacted my office to express concerns about the potential ramifications of natural gas drilling in our city's watersheds. These concerns are well founded. The hydraulic fracturing process, sometimes called hydrofracking, which is used for such drilling could result in the contamination of unfiltered drinking water for over nine million people in New York. If the watershed were to become contaminated with any of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, a filtration plant would have to be constructed-which could cost anywhere from $10-20 billion. Last November, I testified before the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in opposition to the proposal to allow hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale, which would have endangered New York City's drinking water. However, until and unless we have firm proof that hyrdofracking will not harm our environment, I am opposed to allowing the practice anywhere in New York State.
As a result of intense pressure from my office and other elected officials, the DEC decided to impose stricter regulations on hydraulic fracturing in New York City's watershed and throughout the state. These restrictions now require a natural gas company to conduct a separate environmental impact review for each individual well it proposes to drill in the watershed, a very lengthy and costly process that by no means would guarantee they would be approved to drill. This decision makes it highly unlikely that any natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing will be conducted in New York City's watershed.
Although these regulations will deter companies from hydrofracking, nothing but an outright ban will ensure that gas companies do not drill for natural gas in the future. This is why I am a sponsor of legislation setting strict standards for protecting drinking water throughout the state and prohibiting drilling in and around the New York City watershed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also in the process of conducting a two year study to examine the impacts on water quality and public health from hydraulic fracturing throughout the country. All necessary investigations into the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and the drinking water supply must be completed before any drilling can even be considered in New York State. For this reason, I am also a sponsor of legislation that will place an outright ban on hydrofracking until 120 days after the EPA has released its report on the effects of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater and freshwater supplies. We cannot gamble on hydrofracking until we know all the facts-the stakes are simply too high. Prohibiting hyrdofracking is the only logical thing to do.