On December 17, 2014, New York State officially dashed the hopes of hydrofracking companies looking to tap into the rich natural gas deposits of the Marcellus Shale. Governor Cuomo cited environmental and health concerns as the basis for his decision to ban the practice.
I personally oppose fracking in general because of the potential for damage to the environment and risks to public health, such as the contamination of underground water sources that farmers tap into to hydrate their livestock and supply water to their homes. Who can dispute the danger when the public health commissioner goes on record by declaring that he would never allow his family to live in an area involved in high-volume fracking?
This particular victory protects the environmental integrity of our precious Finger Lakes wine country by ensuring the safety of the water supplying its vineyards. Unfortunately, New York’s Southern Tier region misses out on the potential for economic development that adjacent areas of Pennsylvania have enjoyed during its hydrofracking boom. To Gov. Cuomo’s credit, however, he firmly believes that economic development cannot come at the expense of health. He plans to invest in the region in other ways.
