Opponents of hydrofracking say they want Gov. Andrew Cuomo to declare a three- to five-year moratorium on fracking in New York state. The gas drilling process has been on hold for several years.
A coalition of groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, say Cuomo should immediately issue an executive order postponing any gas drilling. NRDC’s Kate Sinding says that’s preferable to trying to get a bill passed through a divided state legislature, where the state Senate will be controlled by the Republicans in January.
“The legislative process is messy and unpredictable,” said Sinding. “We would prefer to have him take that action and, frankly, own it.”
Fracking is already on hold in New York, as Cuomo says he awaits the results of more than two-year health review that could be completed by the end of the year. In the meantime, the groups say they plan to hold a large protest at the governor’s State of the State speech in January, and buy billboard space near the State Capitol.
