Thanks - it needs to be documented. This same debate is happening across the world as fracking expands. NY is a very interesting (and close to home) case study...

He's getting significant pressure from the industry as well as local opposition. The Department of Environmental Conservation, who is charged with 'informing' Gov Cuomo is particularly questionable at this time, giving preferential treatment to the industry. "Gas industry representatives have enjoyed meetings with high-level officials, sneak peaks at the draft environmental impact statement, and same-day responses to emailed requests, as revealed by the recent Environmental Working Group report based on FOIL documents."

My general take is that if what is happening in NY becomes the model for future fracking development in the US or around the globe, fracking will become a mess, politically, and potentially environmentally.

Thanks. I've gone back and forth about fracking myself... What I know for sure is that, at least in NY, the process by which it is being debated is very, very questionable, and my confidence that NY would be able to properly regulate its development is very low. How Gov Cuomo makes his decision will be very, very interesting - and I think in a significant way much of the US (and global) energy industry is watching how it unfolds.