Is NY Drinking Water at Risk?

Is NY Drinking Water at Risk?: pro's and con's of hydro-fracking

New York made progress on coming to a decision about a controversial issue last month: hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as “hydro-fracking.” It is a process which involves pressure forcing a mixture of water and chemicals into the ground, drawing gas closer to the surface to be extracted. As of April, the state will not be banning hydro-fracking, but is imposing strict regulations in the Catskills area, forcing any drillers there to first conduct several intricate environmental tests before drilling can be approved.

$Hydrofrac.medium$ Drilling in the Catskills could have variety of economical and environmental impacts. Because of the chemicals being blasted into the ground, the fresh water supply that provides drinking water to most of Syracuse and the surrounding area could be contaminated. This would result in a costly filtration system. But much of the population upstate says the drilling could be a much needed economical boost that outweighs the risk. For now the state is most concerned with keeping the water unpolluted. Not to mention saving the cost of an expensive filtration system.

According to a New York Times article, the final regulations will be made by the end of the year. Officials are taking into consideration many of the grassroots campaigns against the drilling, as well as citizen’s widely varying opinions. The next 7 months could make a difference in New York’s future drilling regulations, especially since many New York lawmakers are still undecided. To read more about this issue, visit the New York League of Conservation Voters' Eco-Politics Daily blog. Do you think your drinking water is at risk, or could upstate use the economical boost? Send us your thoughts on hydro-fracking in the Catskills on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to voice your opinion to New York state officials!