By Madina Toure
Queens lawmakers welcomed the state Department of Health’s recommendation Wednesday to ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State.
“The governor based his decision on science — not the demands of oil and gas drillers looking for a quick buck,” U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) said in a statement. “The public health risks posed by contamination of our air, land and water are too great to allow high-volume, horizontal fracking in our beautiful state.”
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) first introduced a resolution in City Council as well as the first bill that would ban the practice.
“As part of what has been the largest grassroots movement in history, I have long emphasized the possible health risks, as well as the grave environmental dangers at stake here, and it is great to see that today, the science and the people have won,” Avella said.
Acting DOH Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker recommended the ban after discovering potential risks associated with the practice.
“I think it would be reckless to proceed in New York until more authoritative research is done,” said Zucker in a statement about the DOH review. “I asked myself, ‘Would I let my family live in a community with fracking?’ The answer is no. I therefore cannot recommend anyone else’s family to live in such a community either.”
In 2012, state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens asked Zucker to conduct a review of a draft report. The DOH review noted uncertainties about adverse health outcomes and sufficient mitigation measures, which would take years to determine.
The DEC will include the public health review findings in the final fracking environmental impact report, which will be released in early 2015. Martens will formally ban fracking at least 10 days later.
Madina Toure
