Previousy Published 1 March 11
We are against lifting the fracking moratorium, until all New York counties have had the opportunity to strengthen their zoning laws. We want to see property values increase and we don’t see how industrial production sites distributed across the countryside helps with this valuation. It is ironic that our clients are required by zoning laws to construct silt fences during excavation to control surface runoff; meanwhile, their next door neighbors are allowed to lease their land to gas companies who will inject harmful chemicals into the actual groundwater, for which no zoning application is required. The resolution of this dilemma seems simple; apply the municipality’s zoning law to ALL proposed land uses, be it residential construction or gas drilling. For municipalities without zoning laws, the County Planning Board should review the proposed land use to ensure that SEQRA requirements are enforced.
