Today in your Trail Mix:
Fracking wastewater issues, and a pipeline in the Southern Tier.
Cornell University reaches new heights.
Buffalo's pricey transition from pedestrians to vehicles.
Plus, a moving argument against the DNA databank.
Natural gas
Gas companies' interest in types of natural gas not found in New York's reserves could point to the state missing out on the shale drilling boom (Jon Campbell, Gannett).
Despite the fact that Pennsylvania drillers are recycling more of their wastewater, bromide levels in local rivers haven't declined (Kevin Begos, AP).
Limited options for disposing of fracking wastewater are the key concern about drilling for many environmentalists (AP).
A Texas natural gas transport company is considering building a gas pipeline running across the Southern Tier (Steve Reilly, Press & Sun-Bulletin).
Higher education
Cornell University sent a rocket soaring into the northern lights, to see how the aurora affects your GPS (AP).
Cornell's NYC tech campus now has a dean: Daniel Huttenlocher (Michael Pantelidis, Queens Courier).
Donations to Binghamton University went down nearly 80 percent in 2011, over the previous year - but is still on track to exceed a six-year fundraising campaign goal (Maxwell Crook and James Galloway, Pipe Dream).
Syracuse's South Side Innovation Center helps local entrepreneurs leverage the expertise and experience of Syracuse University (Glenn Coin, Post-Standard).
Transportation
Over at Rust Wire, Rick Brown argues that rail is a key component of Rust Belt revival - whether it's street cars or subways.
Meanwhile, the cost of a proposal to make downtown Buffalo more navigable for cars is going up (Aaron Besecker, Buffalo News).
Rochester is getting a new airport director today, after the previous two resigned in disgrace (Democrat and Chronicle).
Government
A man who spent 20 years in prison for crimes he did not commit says the governor's plan to increase the state's cache of DNA would fail to protect the wrongly accused (Marie Cusick, WMHT/Innovation Trail).
Congratulations to WMHT's New York NOW, which has been nominated for a New York State Emmy, for its coverage of state politics!
The state comptroller says he needs more information before deciding whether or not legalized gambling in New York is a good idea (Nick Reisman, State of Politics).
Erie County had a record sales tax year in 2011, netting more than $400 million (Denise Jewell Gee, Buffalo News).
A housing project in Rochester is looking to expand after a successful initial phase (Carlet Cleare, WXXI).
A public library in Fayetteville has developed a "fab lab" where users can design things in software and then actually produce them, using 3-D printers (Ellen Abbott, WRVO).
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