Hits: 12

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From Assemblyman David Buchwald. September 14, 2016:

Assemblyman David Buchwald and 32 other members of the New York State Assembly have signed onto a letter urging the Department of Environmental Conservation to ban the environmentally-damaging use or disposal of hydrofracking waste in New York State. The letter comes on the final day of public comments as the DEC receives feedback on its waste management regulations.

Assemblyman Buchwald (D – Mt. Kisco-White Plains) championed the letter, which says that oil and gas waste should not be deposited in landfills or at wastewater treatment plants, and should not be used as a de-icing agent on roads.

The letter, also asks the department to remove the exemption that prevents oil and gas waste from being treated as hazardous materials.

New York State and Governor Cuomo exercised significant leadership in banning high-volume hydraulic fracturing in New York State due to its potential negative public health and environmental impacts.

Yet, that during the past 6 years, five landfills in New York State have accepted approximately 590,000 tons and 23,000 barrels of fracking waster from operations in Pennsylvania.

“We should not be allowing fracking waste, especially from out of state, to be disposed in New York landfills and at wastewater treatment plants or used as a de-icing agent on our roads,” said Assemblyman Buchwald. “Now is the time for the DEC to act. I am very pleased that over 30 of my Assembly colleagues have joined me in added their voice to such an important environmental and public health issue.”

“Communities across the state are reeling from drinking water that is making people sick due to an aging infrastructure and inadequate regulations on industry” said Liz Moran, Water & Natural Resources Associate for Environmental Advocates of New York. “The acceptance of fracking waste is another example where New Yorkers’ health is compromised. The state banned fracking because of the dangers – those dangers include fracking waste. We applaud and thank Assemblyman Buchwald for his leadership in protecting New Yorkers from fracking waste.”