Monday, September 15, 2008

New York Plans to Consider Law Limiting Natural Gas Drilling

Assemblyman James Brennan, inset, plans to introduce a bill in the state's legislature that would permanently ban drilling in New York City's watershed. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)


"New York City officials seeking a moratorium on natural gas drilling in the city's watershed have found an ally in the state legislature.

Assemblyman James Brennan, who represents part of Brooklyn, announced Thursday that he will introduce a bill in next year's session that would permanently prohibit drilling in the city's watershed. Brennan's proposal is in line with that of city councilman James Gennaro, who called for such a moratorium in July and will hold a hearing on the issue Wednesday at City Hall. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection proposed its own conditions in a July letter (PDF) to the state, calling for a one-mile protective barrier around each of the city's reservoirs."...