Community Groups Urge Gov. Cuomo “Don’t Frack New York”

Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

June 20, 2012

Dear Governor Cuomo: 

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, are writing to express our opposition to the plan that was leaked to The New York Times last week, which would establish a demonstration program for high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” in parts of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Steuben and Tioga counties. It is inconsistent with your Administration’s position to allow fracking only if it could be done safely in a way that protects public health and the environment. 

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation remains in the midst of an on-going environmental review process, and any decision as to whether or not to frack anywhere in New York State should not be made before the impacts to our health, environment and economy have been comprehensively and properly assessed. 

The current version of the revised Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement lacks a complete evaluation of the negative socioeconomic impacts that would affect the quality of life and resources of any community in which fracking might occur. Numerous serious scientific concerns that have been raised in thousands of comments submitted by our groups and others remain unanswered as yet by the DEC. Nor has the state committed, to date, to commissioning an independent health impact assessment that will evaluate the full range of potential health impacts and identify particularly vulnerable populations (although we know your staff is now considering such a request). Until we have a complete and independent study of the impacts to public health and the environment and the costs to our communities, the state will simply not be in a position to make a decision as to whether fracking should be permitted in New
York. 

We are also deeply concerned that this plan represents merely a starting point, e.g., a “ramp up period,” for what could become a widespread fracking program throughout the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in much of the state. 

We are further in agreement that New York has the opportunity to both revitalize the statewide economy and meet its energy needs through the development of clean, sustainable energy sources, including solar, wind, and energy efficiency. Our focus now should be on maximizing New York’s potential to become a national – and international – leader through establishment of a vibrant renewable energy policy. 

Respectfully yours,

Advocates for Cherry Valley, Inc.
Advocates for Morris
Advocates of Springfield
Alec Baldwin
American Academy of Pediatrics, District II, NYS
Andes Works!
Beacon Climate Action
Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester
Brooklyn Food Coalition
Brooklyn For Peace
Broome County Medical Society
Butternut Valley Alliance
Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy
Catskill Mountainkeeper
Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies
Environmental Justice Committee at SUNY Cortland
Center for Health, Environment and Justice
Chefs for the Marcellus
Chenango Community Action for Renewable Energy (C-CARE)
Citizen Action New York
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Citizens’ Environmental Coalition
City of Binghamton Against Fracking
Clean and Healthy New York
Coalition for OneVoice
Concerned Worcester Citizens – NY
CREDO Action
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability
Debra Winger
Delaware Riverkeeper
Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society
Democracy for America
Earth Day New York
Earthjustice
Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project
Environment New York
Environmental Advocates of New York
Food and Water Watch
Frack Action
Frack Free Catskills
Friends of Butternuts
Friends of the Earth
Gas Free Seneca
Gasland & NYSAFE
GDACC (Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County)
Gloria Steinem
Grassroots Environmental Education
Gray Panthers, NYC Network
Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition
GROTON RESOURCE AWARENESS COALITION
Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition
John Medeski
Jon Bowermaster
Jonathan Demme
Kirkland Committee to Prohibit Hydrofracking
Korean Americans for Political Advancement (KAPA)
Krishna Das
Long Island Progressive Coalition
Mark Ruffalo
Michelle Williams
Milford Doers
Natalie Merchant
Natural Resources Defense Council
Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation
New Lisbon Neighbors
New York State Breast Cancer Network
NO Gas Pipeline
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York
NYH20
NYPIRG
NYRAD (New York Residents Against Drilling)
Otsego 2000, Inc.
Otsego County Medical Society
Park Slope Food Coop
Patti LaPone
Patti Smith
Plymouth Friends of Clean Water
Protect Pittsfield
R-CAUSE, Rochesterians Concerned about Unsafe Shale-gas Extractions
Residents of Crumhorn
Riverkeeper
Sane Energy Project
Scarlet Johansson
Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter
Slow Food NYC
Sludge Stoppers Task Force
Space Camp Radio
Students for Food Sustainability
Sullivan Area Citizens for Responsible Energy Development
Syracuse Peace Council
The Baum Forum
The Village of Cooperstown NY
Three Parks Independent Democrats
Timothy Hutton
Tompkins County Medical Society
Unadilla Friends and Neighbors
United for Action
Upper Unadilla Valley Association
Water Defense
Westchester for Change
Western NY Drilling Defense
Western NY Peace Center, Inc.
Westford Neighbors
William Buffet
Working Families Party
Youth Advocates Now
Yuka Honda