Poll: NY Voters Oppose 'Fracking' by Narrow Margin...

[Indi Guy]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — A poll suggests New York voter sentiment has shifted from support of shale gas drilling to opposition by a narrow margin.

The poll released Thursday by Siena Research Institute says 44 percent of voters surveyed opposed the Department of Environmental Conservation lifting a 4 ½-year-old ban on gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," while 40 percent favored lifting the ban. Upstate voters opposed fracking, 51-38 percent.

Last month, the Siena poll found voters statewide narrowly supported fracking, 42-36 percent.

Siena pollster Steven Greenberg called the issue a "political land mine" for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as neither supporters nor opponents have succeeded in getting a majority of voters to their position...

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Poll-NY-voters-oppose-fracking-by-narrow-margin-4202493.php

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[hrmjustin]

1. This NYer is very much against it.

I have relatives in the Hudson Valley just north of NYC and they tell horror stories of cancer clusters and people's water faucets going on fire.

[Indi Guy]

2. You mean like this?...

[hrmjustin]

3. Yes exactly like that.

There are horror stories all over the state of things like this happening.

[Lugnut]

4. I'm in Northeastern PA and I'm against fracking.

The problem here is that nobody asked for the residents' approval. Gas companies came in with their sales people and waved really big checks at property owners who owned the mineral rights to the shale their homes sat on. The sales people fudged the facts (lied) about the effects of fracking on their water supply. Gov Corbett gave the gas companies free rein and here we are.

[Indi Guy]

5. Did you know that Tom Ridge is now a lobbyist for natural gas & fracking? Colbert interview...

[Lugnut]

7. Yes I do know that.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. So is this New Yorker!

They should have called us!

[HappyMe]

8. I live in NY.

I am against fracking. People have 'Don't frack with my water' and 'Are you fracking crazy?' signs in their windows.

[Indi Guy]

9. ...

More -- https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcpsugrpq1high&gs_rn=1&gs_ri=hp&gs_mss=%22don't+frack+with+m&pq=tom+ridge+fracking&cp=21&gs_id=4j&xhr=t&q=don't+frack+with+my+water&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41248874,d.eWU&biw=1024&bih=599&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=X2r5UJqjLoms9ASn1YHYBg

[bobclark86]

10. I think your image is a little bit off...

according to most people I know in the industry, the problem isn't from seeping chemicals up through the cracked rock (for about a mile straight up), but from the casings surrounding the well through the water table failing. That's why it happens about 2 percent of the time and not every time.

That said, until they show they can clean up their mess AND they put in bonds to cover the costs, I'll be in favor of a moratorium.

[Indi Guy]

11. Of course you're correct.

There are a number of ways that fracking pollutes -- in the short & long term.

In the condensation process (on site) there is incredible air pollution as the natural gas is separated off and the remaining contaminants are simply released into the local atmosphere (not to mention the obnoxious noise pollution, day and night).