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According to Congressman Tom Reed's office the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found last week that hydraulic fracturing poses no credible threat to public drinking water. The study is a compilation which includes over 950 sources of information from stakeholders and peer-reviewed EPA scientific reports to published research papers and technical reports.

"Hydraulic fracturing can be done safely and the comprehensive science in this report once again validates this," said Reed. "The New York State fracking ban costs us jobs, limits our nation's path toward energy independence, which keeps production costs high for manufacturers and even violates the constitutionally protected rights of our landowners. With that in mind, I am calling on Governor Cuomo to reverse his unilateral and politically motivated decision to ban fracking in New York State."

While Cuomo made a speech saying the state would ban fracking, no action has yet been taken in the legislature.  Lansing Town Attorney says that without legislative action that would then be signed by the Governor, there is no state-wide fracking ban in New York.

The Lansing Town government has a draft hydrofracking ban ready, but action on a town-wide ban has been tabled until August due to fears that the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) might construe a ban on hydro fracking as a signal that the Town no longer supports repowering the coal-fueled Cayuga Power Plant with natural gas.  Town officials say they want no confusion about the fact that they strongly support repowering the plant.  Reed has also spoken out on numerous occasions in support of repowering it.

It is not clear whether a majority of the Lansing Town Board will vote for a fracking ban, but most members have stated that, at least, they are not against considering one.  Village of Lansing Trustees also recently said they want to start a discussion about a ban there.

Reed says a recent New York State Department of Environmental Conservation report, the ban is costing the state roughly 54,000 jobs, many of which would be found in Western New York.

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