Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney and committee members took testimony on the revised DSGEIS from more than 50 witnesses who came to Albany to testify, including government officials, scientists and representatives of environmental advocacy groups.
The revised DSGEIS is both an environmental impact analysis of high volume hydraulic fracturing, a process used in natural gas drilling, and an outline of the environmental protection standards that would govern high volume hydraulic fracturing natural gas drilling operations. The original DSGEIS was issued on September 30, 2009 and received thousands of comments. The revised DSGEIS reflects DEC's response to those comments.
Among those who testified were DEC Commissioner Joe Martens; NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland; United States Geological Survey Hydrologist William M. Kappel; Natural Resources Defense Council Senior Attorney Eric Goldstein; and Environmental Advocates of New York Policy Director Katherine Nadeau.
Also providing testimony was Roger Downs, conservation associate, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter; Sarah Eckel, policy analyst, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; New York State Petroleum Council Executive Director Mike Doyle; and Acting President and CEO of the Business Council of New York State Heather Briccetti, Esq.
Testimony also was taken from Sandra Steigraber, PhD., distinguished scholar in residence, Ithaca College; Ronald E. Bishop, PhD., lecturer, SUNY College at Oneonta; Jake Hays, program director, Physicians, Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy; Jannette M. Barth, Ph.D., economist, Pepaction Institute, LLC; and other representatives of government agencies and environmental organizations.