Fracking Deadline to be Missed?

2/4/2013 (Updated 9:21:13 PM)

While residents remain divided, a decision on whether the state will proceed with fracking could come later, rather than sooner.

New York's DEC Commissioner says the state might miss its deadline to come up with fracking regulations that must be in place before fracking can proceed.

That deadline is February 27th. Commissioner Joe Martens says the DEC is waiting for a review from the State Health Department before it  finalizes it's proposed regulations.

Groups that support or oppose fracking are reacting differently to the news.

"The governor has made an absolute mockery of this process, and we are outraged," said Daniel Fitzsimmons, President of the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York.  "We just can't believe what he's done. Out people in this state and this area need this. We need economic development, we need the jobs, we need the environmental benefits the natural gas is going to bring."
 
"We're happy that the DEC is considering taking some more time to consider the science and the health.  This is about the health of us, our families, and the state at large," said Isaac Silberman-Gorn of Citizen Action.  "This is a state wide issue. We're happy to see the DEC protecting our health."

The DEC missing the deadline could delay a decision on fracking for months.