Congressman Hanna Releases Statement on Hydrofracturing

“I’ve consistently said that I would only support fracking in New York if it is proven by science to be safe and would not put our water supply at risk.  The decision to access natural gas should not be made based on politics or emotion, but rather the facts.

“Hydraulic fracturing has the potential to produce significant positive economic benefits, but should not be done at the risk of our aquifers. Fracking should continue to be primarily regulated by bodies closer to the people — state and local governments.

“Because it is relatively clean, affordable and abundant, natural gas is helping move us toward American energy independence. And energy independence is key to our national security. It also has the potential to diversify our region’s economy, create energy, manufacturing and infrastructure jobs, and raise revenue for local governments.

“If done in New York, the State’s process should be transparent and include appropriate regulations such as chemical disclosure that make the most sense for our unique region. As President Obama has stated, it is imperative that we develop our natural gas resources safely, and I am hopeful that Governor Cuomo’s decision will meet that standard.”

By C. Harris-Lockwood