Protesters Call for Fracking Health Impact Assessment

5/30/2012 (Updated 11:05:22 PM)

(Source: Jason Weinstein)

Protesters rallied in front of the State Office Building Wednesday afternoon to call on the State Senate to fund a fracking Health Impact Assessment.

Citizen Action and Frack Free New York say nothing in the state's Environmental Impact Statement - or SGEIS - addresses the potential impact of fracking on health.

The groups say the Senate opposes the study because the state's moratorium on fracking couldn't be lifted until the study was complete.

"Initially there was a budget of $300,000 for the study. We'd like to see that restored, possibly more. And for it to be independently done and removed from the political process," said Isaac Silberman-Gorn, Environmental Organizer for Citizen Action.

A representative from the Broome County Medical Society was also on hand. The group has called for the state's moratorium on fracking to stand until an EPA study on fracking's impact on health and the environment is complete.