NORWICH – A committee that has been monitoring natural gas development activity for the Chenango County Board of Supervisors was questioned this week by those calling for a moratorium on drilling.
A free-lance writer who specializes in the fields of technology, economics and the environment wrote a letter to the board suggesting that, in addition to the county’s Natural Gas Advisory Committee, formed in 2008, a separate, more public safety-focused task force be formed.
In a letter read aloud to the board Tuesday, Susana Schwartz of Sherburne wrote that the current committee addressed the “very important issue of short-term monetization of natural gas,” but needs to be supported by another entity that would provide objective, independent “subject matter experts” such as geologists, water and soil experts, public safety officials, and scientists to address the public’s safety concerns.
She suggested the issues the task force would address would include the governing of public water, roads and infrastructure, jurisdiction on public lands, planning for disaster recovery, accident accountability, and impacts on local businesses.
Lawmakers also listened to a letter written by Kenneth Fogarty of Guilford who questioned “the purview and purpose” of the NGAC and suggested it be disbanded. He said groups of residents appearing before that body and other county committees since September haven’t been receiving answers to their questions regarding the impacts on human health of the chemicals and other gas production residues resulting from high volume/high pressure fracking drilling.
Fogarty said members of his group had requested “a sensible pause in the development of natural gas production,” but were turned away or referred to other county committees.
NGAC Chairman Peter C. Flanagan, D-Preston, presented a letter of his own that was read aloud Tuesday, in which he stated that his committee had been working on all environmental, municipal and economical aspects of the impact of natural gas development since the committee was formed in 2008. He referred Schwartz to NGAC’s online minutes and to the Chenango County Planning Department’s website for detailed information on potential laws and best practices for municipalities.
The committee advises the county board on how to prepare for gas drilling, he wrote, and did indeed recommend the hiring of a consultant to determine whether Chenango County “could glean some additional benefits from a legally authorized, already existing and clearly expanding industry.”
“Some apparently resent it as it conflicts with their world view. Nonetheless, we share many of their concerns. We don’t share the same level of fear and trepidation that they exhibit, perhaps because we have made the effort to educate ourselves about the process,” his letter stated.
Flanagan said his committee had not been inundated with requests for information outside of its purview. Instead, it had been “inundated with visitors, some of whom wish to dictate to the committee that we make recommendations to the board based on their opinions.”
The supervisor from Smyrna, James Bays, asked that all three letters be read aloud before the board. Smyrna is home to much of the natural gas drilling and pipeline construction currently underway in Chenango County by the Norwegian-based energy firm, Norse Energy.