By Ryan Morden
Oswego, NY – The State Department of Environmental Conservation is taking a considerable amount of time to write new rules governing the gas drilling technique known as hydrofracking.
The environmental advocacy group Citizen's Campaign for the Environment said that's a good thing.
Recently, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said the new regulations could be finished by fall. Drilling would likely begin in New York by spring or summer of 2011.
Adrienne Esposito is Executive Director for the Citizen's Campaign. She said the longer the DEC takes, the better it is for the public.
"And the reason we say that is that the DEC received over 14 thousand comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In order for the DEC to look at those in a meaningful, comprehensive way and to reevaluate the draft, it's going to take time. This is not a project that should be rushed," said Esposito.
Hydrofracking involves pumping millions of gallons of water combined with chemicals and sand into the ground to extract natural gas.
Some are concerned that the chemicals could contaminate drinking water.