In an op-ed piece in the blog City and State, upstate Republican Congressman Chris Collins calls upon Gov. Andrew Cuomo to finally stop dithering about allowing high-volume hydraulic fracturing of shale to recover entrapped fossil fuels (fracking), mainly natural gas, in New York State. In his essay entitled, New York: Site of America s Next Energy Boom?, Rep. Collins puts it to Gov. Cuomo in no uncertain terms:
Fracking is not new, but recent technological advances have greatly increased its effectiveness. These technological breakthroughs are revolutionizing the American energy industry and allowing our nation to speed toward complete energy independence. The United States is now the world s leading national gas producer, reducing our reliance on foreign powers such as Russia and Middle Eastern countries. The effect [has] bolstered national security and lowered domestic energy prices.
Not only has fracking improved America s chances for energy independence but it has also provided an economic boon to a country struggling to escape the lingering effects of a recession. Millions of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue have been created from the fracking revolution.
However, for reasons varying from overregulation to political calculations, we have yet to tap in to our energy potential. Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to uphold a moratorium on fracking that has been in place in New York since 2008.
The time has come for Gov. Cuomo to open New York to fracking.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that fracking is safe when done correctly and with the proper oversight. [Ed. Note: this link is to ACSH s own publications].
While Gov. Cuomo and downstate New York bureaucrats delay, New York residents, especially Western New Yorkers, lose out on job opportunities, lower energy prices, and lucrative revenue streams...
