Skaneateles, NY -- Skaneateles is considering whether to impose a six-month ban on hydraulic fracturing, a technique to drill for natural-gas that some fear could jeopardize groundwater supplies. The town board will hold a hearing Thursday on whether to allow the technique, also known as “hydrofracking” or “fracking.” The hearing is one of four public hearings on several topics, all...
Skaneateles, NY -- Skaneateles is considering whether to impose a six-month ban on hydraulic fracturing, a technique to drill for natural-gas that some fear could jeopardize groundwater supplies.
The town board will hold a hearing Thursday on whether to allow the technique, also known as “hydrofracking” or “fracking.” The hearing is one of four public hearings on several topics, all scheduled starting at 7:15 that night.
Brad Gill, executive director of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York, said the moratorium is unwarranted and beyond the town’s authority. “It’s another example of a town falling prey to hype and misinformation and then wanting to take action that they have no authority to take,” he said.
A Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman would not comment on the Skaneateles ban.
If the moratorium is approved, the town’s code officer, planning board and zoning board would use the six-month period to decide whether the town needs additional zoning regulations to regulate fracking.
Skaneateles would become at least the third town in Onondaga County to impose a moratorium on fracking. DeWitt imposed a moratorium in March, Elbridge did so in May. The town of Camillus this spring banned fracking outright by amending its zoning ordinance.
The DEC is deciding how to regulate fracking statewide. In April, the agency imposed guidelines that make it virtually impossible for companies to drill for natural gas in the Skaneateles Lake and Catskills watersheds. The two areas provide unfiltered water, without expensive treatment, to about 9 million people in the Syracuse and New York City areas.
During the moratorium, new hydraulic fracturing would be allowed only by a variance granted by the town. Any request for a variance would require a 45-day hearing notice, and a decision would be rendered within 30 days of the hearing. The moratorium would impose a civil fine of $500 to $1,000 for violations.
Gill said hydrofracking has been used for decades in New York state, and thousands of wells have been “fracked.” “A town cannot just arbitrarily say. “No, you can’t drill in our town’ or ‘You can’t hydrofracture in our town.’ That’s just not within their jurisdiction,” he said.
Contact John Stith at jstith@syracuse.com or 251-5718.