Bob Joseph/WNBF News

 

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
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There will be no permits issued for hydraulic fracture drilling for natural gas in New York State this fiscal year and no money for drilling is in the Governor’s budget proposal. 

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens testified at a legislative budget hearing January 27 and said the DEC had “absolutely no plans” to issue any permits in the next fiscal year.

The DEC’s Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on fracking is awaiting finalization and the state Health Department is still doing its review, which it started in September of 2012.

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York is not happy with Commissioner Martens’ comments.  JLCNY attorney Scott Kurkoski said he was outraged at the commissioner’s statement that it is highly unlikely any permits will be issued over the next year. 

Kurkoski also took aim at the governor, saying Andrew Cuomo is not showing leadership on what he called one of the most important issues of our time.

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