Hamden Board Backs DEC Drilling
Hamden covered bridge over the West Branch of the Delaware River.
From the Walton Reporter (no website), January 13, 2010.
HAMDEN – The Hamden Town Council met last Wednesday and joined other local municipalities in adopting a resolution in support of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and its process for developing regulations for natural gas drilling.
The resolution, which was earlier adopted by the Delaware County Board of Supervisors and has been presented to other towns for approval, says the town supports drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale, which lies underneath the region, under the conditions that environmental concerns be addressed by state regulations. It also asks the DEC not to adopt any regulations that apply to the New York City watershed, but not to the rest of the state.
Town Supervisor Wayne Marshfield said, if New York City wants to stop property owners from profiting from the gas beneath their land, it should pay them to make up the loss.
Councilwoman Rosemarie Bryden said she was concerned about pollution, but that she supported the resolution. “I do agree with you, Wayne, that we shouldn’t be treated any differently because we’re in the New York City watershed.” She said. “Water safety is important for everybody.”
Councilman Bob Bishop said New York City should not be able to stop agreements between gas companies and local residents. “The businesses and the landowners should make the decision, not the interlopers from Manhattan,” he said. Bishop also discounted reports of problems with drilling in Pennsylvania saying the wells drilled in coal beds there are different from those drilled in deep shale.