Submit Your Comments on Fracking Regs and Ask DEC for More Time
December 14, 2012
Riverkeeper Team
Now's Your Last Chance to Demand an Open, Transparent, and Science-Based Decision on Fracking
DEC has initiated a 30-day public comment period on new fracking regulations, which will close on January 11.
Although Governor Cuomo has repeatedly promised to let science and facts guide his decision whether to allow fracking in New York State, DEC recently issued a revised set of draft fracking regulations before finishing its own review of fracking’s environmental impacts or allowing the Department of Health and its three medical experts to complete their review of fracking's health impacts. Adding insult to injury, DEC has decided to give you only 30 days—during the holidays¬—to make your voice heard on these ill-informed regulations.
Why is your input crucial at this time?
In its rush to frack, the state has continually shown that it is willing to sacrifice science-driven regulations and additional public input at the expense of New Yorkers’ health and their environment. This may be the last chance for the public to voice its opinion on fracking before the state issues permits to frack—and it's not enough time.
Make your voice heard: Ask DEC to extend the public comment period an additional 30 days.
DEC’s deadline for public comment on its revised regulations is January 11, 2013, at 5 p.m., leaving little time for you to review and comment on the draft regulations, especially given the complexity and monumental importance of the fracking decision. This concern has been amplified because DEC has removed the 2011 proposed regulations from its website, making it difficult to clearly identify what changes have been made between the 2011 regulations and the new draft revised regulations.
Riverkeeper is currently in the process of reviewing the revised regulations and will alert you in the next few weeks about our key concerns and provide suggested comments for you to submit to DEC.
If you would like to submit your own comments now, you can:
1. Submit comments online using DEC’s electronic submission system.
2. Send written comments to: Eugene J. Leff
Re: HVHF Revised Rulemaking
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-6510
If you have questions, do not hesitate to call DEC at (518) 402-8044.
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