For Immediate Release: NYAF Responds to Cuomo Ban
Rita Yelda
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | December 17, 2014
Contact: Rita Yelda, 716.507.2077, rye...@fwwatch.org
NEW YORKERS AGAINST FRACKING RESPONDS TO CUOMO ADMINISTRATION BANNING FRACKING BASED ON HEALTH IMPACTS
In response to the Cuomo administration announcing its decision to ban fracking based on the health impacts, New Yorkers Against Fracking released the following statement from Julia Walsh of Frack Action.
“On behalf of millions of New Yorkers, we would like to thank the Governor for his leadership and keeping his word in listening to the science and protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers over the special interests of the oil and gas industry. The science on fracking has been clear. The toxic drilling process would threaten our health, poison our water and air, and forever mar New York as hundreds of health professionals and medical organizations have told us. This decision will affect New York for generations to come. We now look forward to making New York the renewable energy capital of the United States, leading the nation to a better, brighter future.”
BACKGROUND
· Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy recently released a statistical analysis of the approximately 400 peer-reviewed studies to date on the impacts of fracking and shale gas development. It showed:
o 96% of all papers published on health impacts indicate potential risks or adverse health outcomes.
o 87% of original research studies published on health outcomes indicate potential risks or adverse health outcomes.
o 95% of all original research studies on air quality indicate elevated concentrations of air pollutants.
o 72% of original research studies on water quality indicate potential, positive association, or actual incidence of water contamination.
o There is an ongoing expansion in the number of peer-reviewed publications on the impacts of shale and tight gas development: approximately 73% of all available scientific peer-reviewed papers have been published in the past 24 months, with a current average of one paper published each day.
· Concerned Health Professionals of NY just released an updated compendium of all the scientific, medical and media findings demonstrating the risks and harms of fracking, with the pace of new studies rapidly expanding – the first few months of 2014 saw more studies published on the health effects of fracking than all studies published in 2011 and 2012 combined.
· A new NYPIRG report released yesterday showed how local municipalities aren't suited to decide about fracking because of failed ethics and transparency laws. It revealed that some local governments adopted pro-fracking resolutions despite possible conflicts of interest and failure to provide adequate public notice.
· A Siena College/Time Warner Cable News poll this summer found that Southern Tier residents oppose fracking 51-35%.
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