Activists are planning an anti-fracking protest in Albany during Gov. Andrew Cuomo”™s State of the State address Jan 7.
Cuomo has yet to take a stance on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a form of mining natural gas out of underground rock formations that critics say poses safety and health risks. A fracking boom has led to economic jolts to depressed regions of the country and many pro-business groups have said allowing fracking in New York would revitalize upstate areas with a boost to the economy and employment numbers.
The governor has avoided taking a stance on fracking, saying he is awaiting a comprehensive study by the state”™s Department of Health on the health impacts of fracking. That report can be made public by the end of the year, Cuomo has told reporters, saying he has no advance knowledge of what the report will say.
On a conference call last week, a coalition of environmental groups that included Hudson Riverkeeper discussed their new efforts to call on the governor to ban fracking in the state. A campaign called “Not One Well” has included a push for viral marketing through social media hashtags as well as billboards and print advertising.
Based on the findings of the report, Cuomo can allow a pilot program for drilling in the Southern Tier near the Pennsylvania border. Plans for drilling there, which would be pending local approvals, have simmered since several years before the governor commissioned the analysis.
The protest during the State of the State will be held indoors due to the anticipation of cold weather, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the concourse hallways outside of the Convention Center, Empire State Plaza.
