On Saturday, October 17, 2009, the Executive Committee of the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club met in Syracuse and passed a resolution calling on the NYS legislature to enact a ban on unconventional gas drilling in NYS.

To sign an online petition calling for a ban on natural gas drilling across NYS, go to:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/NY-Statewide-Ban-On-Natural-Gas-Drilling

As of October 28, 2009, the following groups have issued statements in support a state-wide ban, and/or in support the following Sierra Club resolution:

Atlantic Chapter of Sierra Club
Action Otsego
Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy (CCSE)
CDOG (Chenango Delaware Otsego Gas Drilling Opposition Group)
Citizens Action Alliance
Concerned Citizens of Otego
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability
Environmental Working Group of Central New York
Friends of Brook Park
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederation)
Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON)
New York Climate Action Group (NYCAG)
NYH2O
More Gardens!
Shaleshock Citizens Action Alliance
Sustainable Otsego
SWiM (Safe Water Movement)

The Atlantic Chapter of Sierra Club resolution

“WHEREAS extensive environmental and health damages would be caused by horizontal drilling and high pressure hydrofracturing gas extraction techniques due to the contamination of water, soil and air by the toxic chemicals used in drilling and fracturing, and the naturally occurring toxic chemicals brought to the surface from deep in the ground,

“WHEREAS these environmental and human and animal health damages will have damaging economic consequences on residential property values, and on the state’s tourism, agriculture, forestry, winery, real estate development and educational businesses,

“WHEREAS the infrastructure costs of building and repairing roads, water treatment facilities, and other public services would far exceed any economic benefit to local communities, and

“WHEREAS it is yet to be proven that the green house effects of the production and use of natural gas produced by horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing are any less than those of the production and use of coal when the life cycle emissions of natural gas production and the higher impact of methane as a green house gas are taken into account.

“Be It Resolved that the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club calls on the New York State Legislature to enact a ban on permitting gas wells that use horizontal drilling and hydro-fracturing to release gas from tight sand and shale formations such as the Marcellus.”