Let's hope no funding means no drilling

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January 20, 2012

Anonymous Daily Star The Daily Star Fri Jan 20, 2012, 02:25 AM EST

When it comes to state approval or disapproval of hydrofracturing in New York state, we certainly hope that no news is good news.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that the proposed state budget will contain no funding for hiring environmental inspectors to regulate hydraulic fracturing.

We would love to think that augurs well for those of us who believe the practice known as fracking _ the use of massive amounts of water, chemicals and sand to break up shale deposits and free the natural gas within them _ should not be allowed in our area.

Cuomo indicated that the state Department of Environmental Conservation has yet to determine that hydrofracking can be done without damaging natural resources.

Not even the most zealous proponent of drilling for natural gas would think that it could be done without credible state oversight. So, are we being overly optimistic to believe that no funding for inspectors means no drilling?

Probably, since there are a lot of potential tax dollars in those shale deposits, but the governor's budget proposal certainly can't be a good sign for the natural gas industry.

State environmental officials are sifting through about 40,000 comments on draft rules that would govern drilling should the DEC permit it. Officials have said they hope to reach a conclusion this spring.

Cuomo said any decision to seek funding for hydrofracking regulation will not be made until the DEC review is completed.

"You would not be hiring staff to regulate hydrofracking unless you believed you were going ahead with hydrofracking," Cuomo said. "We haven't made that determination. So the budget won't anticipate hydrofracking approval."

Anti-drilling activist and Sustainable Otsego moderator Adrian Kuzminski of Fly Creek saw reason for optimism in the governor's statement.

"If they were really eager to do this," Kuzminski said, "his people would have found the money for it now."

Drilling advocate Richard Downey of the Unatego Landowners Association found cause to believe his side will prevail.

"(Cuomo) has ignored (economic development programs in) the Southern Tier because he knows drilling is going to come to the Southern Tier, and it is going to start in Broome and Tioga counties," Downey said. "So why give them money when the development down there will take care of itself?"

Fracking opponents may find another statement by the governor chilling.

"If you make a decision down the road to go forward," Cuomo said, "then the state would do it appropriately, and we would have the staff and the resources to do it."

Still, for those of us who oppose hydrofracturing in our area, the absence of current funding makes our hearts grow fonder.