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Albany, NY-  Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WF-125) delivered her SGEIS comments to the DEC Wednesday in a 14-page letter addressed to Commissioner Joseph Martens. Her letter, one of thousands sent to the DEC, focused on the SGEIS failing to address potential health impacts, wastewater treatment and disposal, the effect of gas drilling on the mortgage and real estate markets, a balanced socio-economic assessment, and, finally, climate change.

“The people and wildlife of New York State must not be asked to bear the impacts of drilling, threatening the sanctity of our environment and health for future generations, and seriously putting at risk the climate change goals of the state,” she said in her letter.

Lifton's comments highlighted a passage of the SGEIS which stated that there is little known information about the potential health risks of “chronic low-level exposures” to fracturing chemicals. Lifton believes that without knowledge of the health effects, it is unfair to ask New Yorkers to bear the risks until a study is completed.

“The lack of health data simply requires New Yorkers to bear an unacceptable level of risk. There must be a comprehensive health study of methane, lead, barium and other heavy metals, excessive chloride, radionuclides, as well as possible fracturing fluid chemicals and their effects on human health,” she wrote.

Lifton also cited the DEC’s re-drafting of the socio-economic impact section as one of the reasons she found the SGEIS to be insufficient. She has previously signed on to the Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy letter to Martens requesting that the comment period be extended until after the re-assessment is completed.

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