ONEONTA _ Congressional candidate Richard Hanna visited Oneonta on Wednesday to hear directly from opponents of hydraulic fracturing and natural gas drilling.
About 25 people sat in a circle at the Seen/Unseen art gallery, at 77 Main St., for about 90 minutes exchanging views with Hanna, who said he supports a ban on hydraulic fracturing because questions persist about its safety.
"The word `safe' is subjective," Hanna said.
Though natural gas drilling may benefit New York's lagging economy, Hanna said, water is a public asset that cannot be put at risk.
Hydraulic fracturing involves high-pressure injection of millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into a well to crack rock and release gas. Opponents fear it could endanger drinking water, but the industry said it has been done safely for decades. The state isn't issuing permits for such drilling as a debate continues about safety issues and the impact on the environment.
Hanna, R-C-I, of Barneveld, is challenging Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, for the 24th Congressional District seat.
Arcuri, who has expressed "grave concerns surrounding the safety of natural gas drilling," recently has criticized Hanna's investment decisions, which includes energy companies with interests in natural gas drilling.
The meeting Wednesday was organized at Hanna's request, said Barbara Monroe, administrator of Action Otsego, an environmental group opposed to drilling.
On Wednesday, residents traveled from Worcester, Crumhorn Mountain, East Pharsalia, Norwich and Otego to meet with Hanna. They expressed concern about the safety of the drilling process, the environment and cost to taxpayers to mitigate damages from trucking, and they quizzed him on his stock portfolio.
Hanna said his stock holdings were less than 6 percent of his total investments, and if elected to Congress, he would "dump" them or put them into a blind trust to avoid a conflict of interest.
He said the issues of drilling and the environment are bigger than the 24th District election.
In response to questions by Hanna, voices from the group said the state's moratorium meant little, and that drilling without hydraulic fracturing wasn't acceptable.
Annette Pfannensteil, a retired health care professor from East Pharsalia, told Hanna the issue must be reframed to focus on the "health of the commons _ all of us."
Fossil fuel extraction is toxic to natural resources and human life, she said.
"We the people have a right to clean air, clean water and rich topsoil," Pfannensteil said.
Hanna said his experience as a businessman makes him a better candidate than Arcuri, but his reason for running is more about giving voters a choice.
"The mission isn't to win," Hanna said. "The mission is to give people a choice."
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Congressional candidate Hanna meets with drilling opponents
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