Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) announced that the New York State Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee will hold a public hearing to solicit input on the environmental impacts of natural gas and oil drilling. The hearing will take place in Albany, Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 10:30am in the Roosevelt Hearing Room C of the Legislative Office Building.

“The Assembly’s hearing is in response to the concerns and unanswered questions many citizens and local governments have regarding natural gas drilling,” said Assemblywoman Lupardo, a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee. “We need to make sure that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has the tools and resources they need, including adequate staffing and regulations, in order to safeguard our environment and protect landowners.”

Oral testimony will be accepted by invitation only since time is limited. Persons wishing to request time to present testimony at the public hearing on oil and natural gas drilling should contact Assemblywoman Lupardo’s office at 607-723-9047 to request a copy of the Public Hearing Reply Form. Written testimony will also be accepted.

This hearing is different than the scoping hearings that the DEC is expected to begin holding this fall across the Southern Tier and Catskills. The DEC’s scoping hearings are designed to solicit public input on what should be included in the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) to address potential adverse impacts resulting from the drilling process.

Assemblywoman Lupardo has asked DEC to hold one of their first scoping hearings in Broome County.