By Patricia Breakey
DELHI "" No applications have been submitted to drill for Marcellus shale gas in any of the counties in the Catskills, according to Jack Dahl, DEC Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation director.
At Wednesday's Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting, Dahl gave a presentation to the Delaware County Board of Supervisors outlining the state Department of Environmental Conservation's regulations.
Dahl recommended that any landowner considering signing a lease with a gas company should research the DEC regulations and read the agency's landowner leasing brochure.
An overview of information about gas drilling is available on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/205.html. Landowner information is available at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/1532.html, and an online database of applications can be found at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/1603.html.
Dahl said the DEC is developing a Marcellus shale Generic Environmental Impact Statement that will entail a series of public meetings. He said one of those will be in Delaware County. The document will be finalized in the spring of 2009.
In other business, the board appointed Janice Burdick as Delaware County Democratic elections commissioner. She will fill the position vacated by the retirement of William J. Buccheri, which was effective July 30.
Delaware County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Lockrow certified that Burdick has been designated and recommended by the Democratic committee, according to the resolution.
Burdick previously was the Democratic deputy commissioner.
Hamden Supervisor Wayne Marshfield said, "The Democratic Party selected an extremely capable person. Janice has been a 20-year employee in the Board of Elections and she has a broad knowledge of election law. The caliber of this person is excellent."
The board also passed a resolution supporting the Delaware County Electric Cooperative's Western Catskills Hydro Project.
The project involves the development of clean, renewable energy facilities at each of the four New York City reservoirs in Delaware, Schoharie and Sullivan counties: the Cannonsville, Pepacton, Schoharie and Neversink.
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
