Governor Cuomo-Natural Gas the Way Out of Fiscal Hole

To frack, or not to frack, that is the question.  If you don't know what fracking is, it's hydraulic fracturing, a method by which oil and gas companies extract natural gas from the layers and layers of shale rock that are thick and numerous in our region,  known as the Marcellus Shale.

The issue has been in the news for four years, or more. It's pitted neighbor against neighbor. Municipalities have come out and totally banned any attempt at natural gas extraction by these means, even before New York State has ruled for or against said means.

When a gas company drills a well, a fluid consisting of water, sand and a small amount of chemicals – some of which can be found in common household and food products – is then injected through the perforations to stimulate gas recovery. The fluid penetrates the shale and creates cracks, or fractures, in the rock. The sand or ceramic particles, called proppant, are carried by the fluid and deposited in the narrow fractures, creating a pathway for gas to reach the well.  This step is called hydraulic fracturing. (from powerincooperation.com)

Among the issues are, what chemicals are being injected into the well, the recovery methods and success of that chemical recovery,  the possibility that some water wells may become contaminated or run dry, and what gas companies will do if private wells are affected.

There seems to be a lot of scary misinformation floating around. The contamination of Dimmock, PA wells has been well documented. There's even a guy who goes to all the rallies, holding up a bottle filled with yellow-green water he says is from his well. (I've heard it's actually water with food coloring added, but I cannot confirm that)

Listen people, our never-ending recession here in the Northeast has gone on forever. We no longer have the treasure trove of good jobs that IBM, EJ, and Singer Link provided. Universal Instruments is mostly gone too.  New York State taxes are the highest in the nation which means business is not likely making a stampede to come to Broome or Tioga Counties, either.

What we need to turn this thing around, is JOBS! We have the most abundant supply of natural gas in the country sitting in the shale beneath our homes and farms. We have an abundance of money, sitting a few thousand feet beneath our feet. Are we gonna just walk away from it, or are we gonna figure out the best and safest way to bring prosperity to our formerly prosperous area?

We have been given a gift from above and I say we do what we can to take advantage of it, safely!  Vestal just announces a 9.3% tax increase in the tentative budget, for the coming year. Is that good news? I'm thinking, no. School taxes are due now. Wouldn't it be great to get a $0.00 tax bill 'cause the gas companies are pumping so many profits outta the ground?

People, we are in a crisis in New York State and we have a way out. We are outta money and outta time. Jobs are gone or leaving. Our young people are moving elsewhere. Our houseing prices are down, while our cost of living keeps going up. New York State is over budget and outta money, and we have a way out, if we do it properly, AND DO IT NOW!

We have to stop studying, holding reviews, bringing in speakers and delaying what can fix our state, now. I'm not saying that we should drill haphazardly and start pumping anti freeze or aresenic or whatever into the ground? Let's do it safely and with control over the gas companies. Things take too long in this state to implement, that is true!

We have our test case, both good and bad in Pennsylvania. Governor Cuomo, let's take the information that we already have, come up with a sound-safe plan, and start back down the road making New York State the Empire State, once again.  We can't afford to wait any longer.