New York Gas-Drilling Rules Split Public In Siena College Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new Siena College poll says New York voters are about evenly split in their opinions of a new state report outlining regulations that would allow high-volume hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the state.

The "hydrofracking" process uses chemical-laced water at high pressure to fracture shale deep underground so trapped gas can flow into a well. Opponents say it threatens water supplies.

The poll released Thursday finds 45 percent of voters supported recommendations by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to allow permits for drilling operations under specific conditions, while 43 percent opposed the report.

By a margin of 54 percent to 33 percent, voters statewide said they are more inclined to trust hydrofracking opponents rather than the industry and other supporters.

Comments

[srooge]

06:00 AM on 07/18/2011

humans destroy the environment every where they go. I say, frack away love canal state.

[altohone]

04:41 PM on 07/17/2011

Allowing fracking may be one of the biggest mistakes NY will ever make.

[Shawn Kelloway]

03:12 PM on 07/17/2011

Water contamination due to fracking leads to the death of our local economy, our local food supply, and our people. It really is that simple. The EPA report this past May revealed that leakage of methane from loose fitting pipes and venting from fracked walls measured twice as high, and in some instances 9000 times, higher than previously thought. This says nothing of the undisclosed chemicals used by energy companies in fracking.

NO cleanup or contingency plan exists if a large scale "accident" occurs which destroys the largest aquifer in the northeast. Shipping in bottled water is not a solution and NO filtering system exists which removes the pollutants as evidenced in contaminated wells. The energy companies certainly have not prepared and can/will not foot the bill if such an accident occurs.

No silver bullet exists to solve all our energy needs but the combination of four renewable solutions, solar, wind, hydro electric, and geo-thermal; applied in area appropriate ways, could sustain the NY and NYC area while not putting our water supply at risk.

We need government support to shift energy subsidies for fossil fuels to renewable industries. This new industry will create new jobs, not just in the energy sector, but across multiple industries. With reduced dependence on fossil fuels, our recycle systems and waste management systems will grow. Simply put, the failed policies of a profit mongering energy industry do not employ the proper tools to lead us into the future.

[gemzenith]

12:19 PM on 07/17/2011

I moved back to WNY after .living in FL.The water situation down there is terrible.I was looking forward to enjoying showers again.And drinking water from the tap, instead of bottled crap. .. .We still have beautiful artisan wells here, and the water out of them is amazing.I came back to the rural life to enjoy living.Clean fresh water is the stuff life is based on.Without it, we get sick,we die.

[rodnox]

09:33 AM on 07/17/2011

when you look at the history of fracking nationwide and the one sided rules set up as protection for this industry ---how can you support it ?????? jobs mean nothing if we cant drink our water-------too much emphasis is put on jobs-----not enough on environment

[corwin]

02:18 PM on 07/17/2011

I know NY is hurting economically,having,Smart People leaving the state and having rising gasoline prices..But,couldn't you accomplish the same things bt simply repealing the Second law of Thermodynamics? It's made even easier since you guys don't know what it is?

Corwin. Just a Smart Person trying to help you.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

06:57 PM on 07/18/2011

Fanned

[gsmp]

10:48 PM on 07/16/2011

I'm not the least bit 'divided'. NO drilling! We KNOW the drillers l i e.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

06:57 PM on 07/18/2011

F&F

[ytzhaak]

10:19 PM on 07/16/2011

Seems like 45 percent of respondents are complete morons. I'm really curious to read the wording of the survey questions. I can't imagine that same number in support if they were asked, "Do you approve of allowing gas companies use a process first developed by Halliburton, that has been proven to contaminate water supplies, and could do so for decades?" Or, "Do you approve of your drinking water smelling like sewage and exploding when near an open flame?" Or "Do you approve of being coerced into selling the drilling rights on your land for pennies, and your backyard turned into a stinking, bio-hazzard, construction project?"

As a citizen of New York, I strongly condemn the practice of fracking and hope it never is allowed in our state. And any member of the state government in support of this controversial process should be investigated for corruption and mental fitness.

[mariusvinchi]

07:46 PM on 07/16/2011

Sadly, the area designated for this process contains the largest aquifer in the northeastern US.
I wonder if those in favor of this process have paid any attention to the controversy out west? Several states have suspended operations after detecting frighteningly high levels of benzine, arsenic, adamantane analogs and several chemicals classed as endocrine disruptors.

With the limited potable fresh water available, it seems insane to risk such widespread contamination. The downside simply outweighs any potential yields...

[kaj74]

09:24 PM on 07/16/2011

Unfortunately we don't need to look out west, we can look at our neighbors in PA.
Also, the commercials have been running like mad, trying to get people to support fracking in our area. It's enough to make you roll your eyes and groan.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

06:59 PM on 07/18/2011

They are beginning to introduce small legislation in CA. Something about not knowing what chemicals are used because they are trade secrets.

[Jack Daniels Esq]

12:49 PM on 07/16/2011

The same people are concerned about Japan nuclear radiation & not their potable water

[vigwig]

12:11 PM on 07/16/2011

Yeah electorate, let's destroy the environment and watershed PERMANENTLY for some short-term gains of jobs and gas. DUH.

[rjhuntington]

11:14 AM on 07/16/2011

No fracking, now or ever. .

[Spookay]

08:13 AM on 07/16/2011

Unfortunately, it won't matter whether or not fracking will damage anything, including our water, because it's big business and the bucks will slip into the correct hands and they will do what they want, where they want, when they want, just like they did with dumping garbage in an area of wetlands of upstate NY. They did the same thing by destroying wetlands to build a mall. Big business always wins.

[HelloWerld]

05:09 PM on 07/15/2011

My vote: no fracking EVER.

[jeffp26]

05:09 PM on 07/15/2011

Forty five percent of new yorkers want to drink radiated water that can heat their homes if they hold a match to it and will give them cancer as they digest it.

And this is supposedly an educated state?

[jhNY]

03:41 PM on 07/15/2011

Not for nothing, but the poll, if taken after it's too late, it will reveal that New Yorkers, except for professional fire-eaters, are unanimously against fracking now that they have to blow out their water before attempting to drink.

[realityCheckInTheMail]

04:04 PM on 07/15/2011

you're not seeing poll results like that in TX or PA, which have been fracking for some time now.

but i guess this is one of those "the world is gonna end, but i can't say exactly when" predictions, where shale-ageddon is just around the corner.

[jhNY]

05:17 PM on 07/15/2011

Why is it you are so eager to defend the practice?

[jhNY]

05:27 PM on 07/15/2011

You write the words "poll results" and "Texas", as if that's supposed to persuade me here in NYC, well, it's to laugh. Why would I think the opinions of folks down there, with whom I cheerily disagree about very nearly everything beyond blues music and barbecue, should affect my opinion up here?

[realityCheckInTheMail]

07:42 PM on 07/15/2011

If you think people in NYC or it's suburbs will see any effect on their water from drilling in a completely different watershed, you're delusional.

Some (tiny number) of groundwater wells will get fouled in weatern NY. Jason Fox will make another movie (how else can he get paid), but people will have moved on and it won't make much splash.

Overtime, the drilling rigs will be part of life in Western NY. Eventually, the drilling companies will come up with some totally natural fracing technology, and they'll let them drill in the watershed.

No municipal water supply will ever see "lighting the tap water". Never has happened, never will happen. Methane containimation will be purely a rural, groundwater well, phenomena, just like it's always been.

That's what's going to happen down the road.

[jhNY]

07:45 PM on 07/15/2011

Sincerely hope you are right, and I am wrong.

[rjhuntington]

11:17 AM on 07/16/2011

You're delusional if you think we haven't seen the flaming faucets or don't understand precisely what that means.