It's ironic that our NYS Legislature has set up a moratorium on hyrdrofracking in the Marcellus Shale but they've planned on balancing the budget by imposing a severance tax on certain natural gas producers. On page 99 of the Executive Budget for 2010-2011, under Tax and Assessment Actions, a three percent tax would be
imposed on the severing of natural gas from a gas pool in the Marcellus or Utica Shale formation using a horizontal well.

They've also agreed to increase the staff to oversee these operations.

So, as the adage goes, their cutting off their nose to spite their face. Do they really know what they're doing?

The EPA is holding a public meeting on hydrofracking on Sept.
13th and 15th in Binghamton. Please send comments to the EPA that a ban on hydofracking is a job killer for NYS and another burden of higherenergy bills on taxpayers. E-mail comments to the EPA at
hydraulic.fracturing@epa.gov. EPA website info at http://bit.ly/9tQXB6

Hydrofracking has been regulated and monitored by state agencies for decades (60 years) and there is not a single documented case of contamination or illness due to hydrofracking. In February, Steve Heare, director of EPA's Drinking Water Protection Division, said that the State regulators are doing a good job overseeing this key natural gas production technique and there's no evidence the process causes water contamination.