On Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, approximately 200 pro-drilling activists arrived at the Holiday Inn on Hawley Street in Binghamton, N.Y. to protest Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision on Dec. 17 to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in New York State.
Following the Dec. 17 decision by Governor Cuomo, it was stated in various reports that he listened to senior state officials who came to agree with activists that fracking’s adverse environmental, economic, and health impacts are simply unacceptable.
Dan Fitzsimmons, president of the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) stated in a release prior to the rally, “Governor Andrew Cuomo is committed to stealing our property rights, jobs, and economic opportunities and the best and only chance Upstate New York has had in decades to climb out of poverty. He has rejected our development of clean burning natural gas even though it has reduced our greenhouse gas emissions to levels not seen since 1994.”
The mission of The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY), according to the release, is to foster, promote, advance and protect the common interest of the people as it pertains to natural gas development though education and best environmental practices. JLCNY gathers and provides factual, objective information about safe and responsible natural gas development to landowners and community members.
