Gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing could dominate today's meeting of the Otsego County Board of Representatives as an industry executive is scheduled to speak. Citizens worried about their drinking water have said they plan to turn out in force.
At the request of the county's Solid Waste & Environmental Concerns Committee, Orville Cole, president of Gastem USA, is slated to address the board. Gastem drilled the Ross 1 well in the town of Maryland and plans to drill other wells in the county, Cole has said.
Cole attended a committee meeting this spring, witnessing a debate on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Committee Chairman Stephen Fournier, R-Milford, said he considers Cole knowledgeable and ready to cooperate with county officials.
"I think he'll be very informative," Fournier said.
About two weeks ago Cole said he hoped to work with the county to make water testing available to people who live near drilling operations. This is being done in the area near the Ross 1 well.
Committee member Rep. Keith McCarty, R-Springfield, said he is looking forward to listening to Cole.
"We want to hear both sides," he said. "If it were just my two acres, I'd probably vote for a moratorium, but I don't see how we can tell a farmer with 400 acres, low milk prices, and no more timber to cut that we're not going forward."
Before Cole begins to speak, a number of people who said they believe gas drilling poses a threat to the environment will gather outside the Otsego County Office Building and then address the board under privilege of the floor.
Teresa Winchester of Butternuts said residents countywide have been talking to and e-mailing each other in preparation for the meeting.
"I think we have to show the board that most people in the county are worried about this," she said Tuesday. "From what has happened in other states, we don't think it can be done safely here."
At about 9:30 a.m., a half-hour before the board meeting starts, residents plan to gather, then attend the meeting together, she said.
Among groups participating are Sustainable Otsego, the Otsego County Conservation Association and Otsego 2000, Adrian Kuzminski of Sustainable Otsego said.
Winchester, former executive director of OCCA, said that several people who plan to attend the meeting said they hope the county board will support a statewide moratorium on gas drilling and fracking.
"It only makes sense to wait until the EPA (federal Environmental Protection Agency) completes its study before we decide to open up the flood gates," she said.
Local News
Gas drilling could dominate county meeting
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