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Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WF-Tompkins/Cortland) was in Pennsylvania last week touring Bradford county one of the major centers of hydraulic fracturing in that state. Lifton spoke to residents in Montrose, Dimock, Towanda, and Le Roy whose lives were affected by fracking.

“My trip today, my second trip to Pennsylvania, was a sobering experience.  I talked with a number of people who have had their health and drinking water, irreparably damaged and their property rendered nearly worthless,” said Lifton.


Lifton went to the homes of Ron and Jean Carter, as well as Pat Farnelli (both featured in the 2010 documentary “GasLand”), and then residents from several different towns. Despite their difference in location, their stories all seemed to align. There were stories of barium poisoning in both adults and children, rapid increases in crime, and gas companies that flatly denied that they had anything to do with these problems.

“Over and over, I heard people tell me that they got no response from gas companies, who would simply look the other way and say ‘it’s not our problem.’ I heard of regulatory agencies that offered little to no help holding these companies accountable,” she said, “What I heard today from many PA residents belies the industry assertion that drilling would be safe for New York State. From everything I saw and heard today in PA, the moratorium on drilling in New York should continue.”

Lifton will be on the panel for the Assembly public hearing on the DEC’s SGEIS on October 6th and is the author of The Local Zoning Control bill, which would ensure that local land use regulations apply to gas drilling.

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