ALBANY — The Cuomo administration announced Wednesday that it would ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State, ending years of uncertainty by concluding that the controversial method of extracting gas from deep underground could contaminate the state’s air and water and pose inestimable public-health risks.
“I cannot support high volume hydraulic fracturing in the great state of New York,” said Howard Zucker, the acting commissioner of health.
That conclusion was delivered publicly during a year-end cabinet meeting called by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in Albany. It came amid increased calls by environmentalists to ban fracking, which uses water and chemicals to release natural gas trapped in deeply buried shale deposits.
The state has had a de facto ban on the procedure for more than five years, predating Mr. Cuomo’s first term. The decision also came as oil and gas prices continued to fall in many places around the country, in part because of surging American oil production, as fracking boosted output.
But he did! I’m not excited. He should have a long time ago, and besides, any time you hear about one of these shit stains doing the right thing, it’s time to wait for the other shoe to drop. There is always some part of it that is concealed that just makes the good deed part of something really bad.
That makes Vermont, New York and a couple of small towns in Texas who will not be allowed by the state to enforce the ordinance that the people voted on and approved (so much for democracy).
A couple of things have happened over the past few weeks that have spelled the doom for hydraulic fracturing and shale oil production.
First, the price of oil collapsed and its become too expensive to bring this type of oil to market.
Second, Obama recognized Cuba.
There is a lot of oil off the coast of Cuba. Until yesterday that oil was going to be drilled by the Russian’s and the Chinese. Chevron, Conoco-Phillips and the other oil giants wanted those multi-trillion dollar oil contracts for themselves. So with the wave of his magic wand Obama proclaimed that Cuba and the US of A should become best friends.