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Tompkins County concerns about natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale were aired, as federal, state and local legislators, representing districts across New York State gathered on the steps of New York City Hall today, joining environmentalists to express concern about the State’s proposed regulatory document issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Speakers maintained the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) is seriously inadequate and called for a complete study of gas drilling’s cumulative impacts on water, air, and land.

Tompkins County, represented by Legislator Martha Robertson, was the only county government to participate, invited by the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, organizer of the event.  Other speakers included Congressmen Eric Massa, Michael Arcuri and Jerrold Nadler, State Senators Tom Duane and Eric Schneiderman, and Assemblymen James Brennan and William Colton, as well as a number of New York City officials.  While unable to attend, local Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton was one who submitted a written statement of support.

Many of the legislators added their voices to the request 25 environmental organizations made to Governor Paterson last month asking the Governor to withdraw the dSGEIS.

Communicating the County’s concerns about gas drilling at today’s event, Legislator Robertson said that many questions about drilling remain to be answered:  “Even with the toughest safeguards, is extracting Marcellus gas the smart thing to do?  We are told that using natural gas will reduce global warming because it's 'cleaner' than coal.  However this is only true if the emissions from extraction are NOT included, and if there are no leaks in the system…  Drilling the Marcellus Shale may increase New York's greenhouse gas emissions, not reduce them. Can we afford to proceed without knowing?”

Last month, the Tompkins County Legislature by unanimous vote approved comments to the DEC that maintained that the DEC’s proposed drilling regulations are too lax and do not address cumulative impacts; and expressed concern that drilling could harm the area’s water supply, air quality, land use, and highway infrastructure.  The Legislature urged that the entire process be reevaluated and that no drilling be permitted using the hydraulic fracturing technique until an adequate environmental review is completed.

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