The letter stated the DEC has until February 13th to release the report, known as the SGEIS. The state has had a de facto moratorium on hydrofacking for almost six years now.
Dan Fitzsimmons is President of the Joint Landowners Coalitions of New York and he says landowners have been waiting too long for the report.
“And it’s come to our attention that it is purely political reasons they’re not going forward with it. It’s time for us to have to actually take this into our own hands and file a lawsuit.”
The announcement by the landowners comes after Joe Martens, the state’s top environmental regulator, told lawmakers in Albany that the state isn’t planning to allow fracking for at least another year.
“There is no funds in the budget that have to do with hydraulic fracturing. So I think logically the consequence of that is we have no plans to issue permits, I think that was the specific question, for high volume hydraulically fracked wells.”
Martens added that the Department of Health is continuing its fracking review and there is no deadline for that to be completed.
Mountain States Legal Foundation, a law firm based in Denver Colorado that advocates for private landowners, is helping with the case.
Demand Letter Final Signed Copy
