As the New York State Assembly representative for this district, I’d like to welcome you to our community and thank you for your interest in the subject of hydraulic fracturing’s potential impact on drinking water, human health and the environment. I also want to thank you for recognizing the importance of conducting this hearing in Broome County.

I am also speaking in my capacity as a member of the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation. Our committee is working closely with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on an update of the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) for horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing, to develop the Marcellus Shale. Our current moratorium on horizontal drilling remains in place while comprehensive peer review studies are being conducted on topics such as drinking water quality and cumulative impacts.  New York is demonstrating its longstanding commitment to the environment in the approach it is taking.

A study at the federal level aims to provide national guidance on the topic of hydraulic fracturing.  In some ways, New York is ahead of EPA in its study of the same topic. DEC’s research could be useful to your own study at some point. I hope we will stay in communication as this process moves forward.

As you well know, this is a very emotional issue – one that has split communities apart. Rather than taking sides in this matter, some of us have chosen instead to look toward the outcome of the various studies that are underway. It is important that we take the time to engage in good, sound science – science that is not tainted by political agendas. We can proceed accordingly once our questions are adequately answered.

To that end, I would like to suggest several research questions for you to consider as you establish the parameters of your study.

1) Are there other viable fracturing practices (for example: the use of non-toxic or “green” fracturing fluids, or the use of propane gas for fracturing, etc.)?

2) Does the fracturing process create fault lines that could provide migratory pathways for fracturing fluids, or for substances from other strata such as methane, to reach local water supplies?

3) Are there reliable tests that can guarantee the integrity of well casings prior to the fracturing process?

Thanks again for your interest in this subject.  I look forward the outcome of your study.

The ISO is the not-for-profit corporation that sets the wholesale electricity prices in New York. Since deregulation in 1999, the ISO has administered the electricity market and prices.

“New York’s electric rates are now the 4^th highest in the nation,” said Lupardo. “We need to reform the ISO’s complex auction system to reduce costs for homeowners and businesses. Under the current system, power plants can submit high bids or withhold power to game the system and inflate prices, which are then passed along to the consumer.”

As part of his “First Protector” platform, Brodsky has laid out a plan to stop this price-fixing mechanism when he becomes Attorney General. The current system being run by the NYISO is costing New Yorkers statewide over $2 billion. Under Brodsky’s plan, local residents and businesses could save as much as 20 percent on their electric bills annually leading to millions of dollars in savings for people in the Southern Tier.

Brodsky said that he would use the Attorney General’s jurisdiction over not-for-profit corporations to investigate the ISO. He is calling for an auction system where utilities pay the price power plants actually bid.

I want to make my own position on this issue clear: I support safe drilling. But I want to stress in the strongest possible terms that I take the word “safe” very, very seriously.

The “safe” part of safe drilling isn’t just about our environment. It’s about our health. And it’s also about our economy. If we don’t do this right, if we don’t take a long-term view that includes careful consideration of the whole picture, we’ll fail to protect our environment and our health, and we’ll fail to reap long-term economic benefits for our community and state.

I’m working with all sides of the debate to understand the drilling process, learn what has gone right and what has gone wrong in other places. All of these aspects are important in determining what it will take for safe drilling to become a reality in New York State.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has been given the arduous task of rewriting the state’s drilling requirements. It has already announced that drilling in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds will require more stringent rules, if drilling even proceeds there at all. We’re waiting now for the DEC to complete its Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. In the meantime, there remains a moratorium on drilling in NYS.

I expect DEC’s drilling policies will be the strictest in the country. I would strongly urge everyone to give DEC a chance to complete its work before second-guessing the outcome. That’s why I have not supported legislation that imposes additional moratoriums on the process.

Recently, I’ve seen two documentaries, “Gasland” and “Gas Odyssey,” that provide different perspectives on the risks and benefits of drilling. There are lessons to be learned from both documentaries. In the end, sound public policy-making requires us to listen to all sides of a debate. But it also requires us to make a decision — one that is based on the facts, our values and what we judge to be best for the public good.

As we move forward on this critically important issue, I’ll be working hard to responsibly and deliberatively represent the best interests of our community and state. For everyone’s sake, we need to get this right.

NOTE: This Guest Viewpoint was published in the Press & Sun-Bulletin on June 27, 2010

“Renewing Power for Jobs is crucial for many upstate businesses and it should be done immediately,” said Libous. “I want to see a Power for Jobs plan that not only gives businesses certainty and some peace of mind, but will also be fair to our upstate farmers and homeowners.”

“I want to make sure that we get the best deal for businesses, agriculture and residents in upstate,” said Lupardo. “The recently announced two-way agreement between the governor and Senate leadership is bipartisan, which is a positive first step. We need the final compromise to continue providing upstate with the benefits necessary to keep energy costs down and provide upstate with much needed relief.”

A recent two-way agreement between Governor Paterson and state Senate leaders would use low-cost hydropower from the current “Rural and Domestic” energy program. This shift would slightly increase the utility bills for all residential and some farming customers of New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG), Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) and National Grid over a five year period.

New Yorkers already pay some of the highest energy prices in the country. Businesses, especially in border communities like the Southern Tier, need low-cost power to remain competitive and protect jobs.

If the governor, state Senate and Assembly are all unable to reach an agreement to extend the Power for Jobs program before June 2, it will expire and put businesses and jobs at risk. Unable to reach agreements in previous years, the program has been extended on a year-to-year basis since 2005.

Libous and Lupardo both said they want to ensure that the Power for Jobs program is extended and continues to support economic development in the Southern Tier and across the state. They are both hopeful that a final compromise will be reached in time to prevent the plan from expiring again.

Energy efficiency improvements contained in the legislation include window and door replacements, insulation and heating and cooling system upgrades. Renewable energy systems covered in the bill include solar, thermal, geothermal, wind and fuel cell technologies.

“Giving local governments the ability to tap into this source of federal funds will help us to develop our green economy and meet the state’s ambitious greenhouse emission reduction goals,” Lupardo said. “The PACE program compliments the Green Jobs/Green Homes initiative and provides incentive for municipalities to get involved in encouraging energy efficiency for homeowners and businesses.”

The legislation would streamline the repayment of the loans by authorizing municipalities to include the loans on annual property tax bills. It was modeled after a similar bill Lupardo authored to create an identical program for the City of Binghamton.

“New York State is now adopting the model used by the City of Binghamton for their B2 Loan Program and allowing municipalities statewide to access minions of dollars in federal stimulus funds,” Lupardo said. “Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan’s efforts to find ways to foster the green economy in the City of Binghamton should be commended. This was a very creative use of the stimulus funds, which will now be used throughout New York.”

The legislation directs the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop standards for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems efficiency improvements. Under the bill, municipalities would be permitted to certify contractors for the performance of energy audits and renewable energy system feasibility studies based on the NYSERDA criteria.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) announced today the passage of a bill (A.40004) she cosponsored to improve New York’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy efficiency in homes and businesses throughout the state. The legislation allows municipalities to establish the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in order to apply for more than $400 million in federal funds to issue as loans to qualifying homeowners and businesses to install energy efficient retrofits and renewable energy systems.

Energy efficiency improvements contained in the legislation include window and door replacements, insulation and heating and cooling system upgrades. Renewable energy systems covered in the bill include solar, thermal, geothermal, wind and fuel cell technologies.

“Giving local governments the ability to tap into this source of federal funds will help us to develop our green economy and meet the state’s ambitious greenhouse emission reduction goals,” Lupardo said. “The PACE program compliments the Green Jobs/Green Homes initiative and provides incentive for municipalities to get involved in encouraging energy efficiency for homeowners and businesses.”

The legislation would streamline the repayment of the loans by authorizing municipalities to include the loans on annual property tax bills. It was modeled after a similar bill Lupardo authored to create an identical program for the City of Binghamton.

“New York State is now adopting the model used by the City of Binghamton for their B2 Loan Program and allowing municipalities statewide to access minions of dollars in federal stimulus funds,” Lupardo said. “Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan’s efforts to find ways to foster the green economy in the City of Binghamton should be commended. This was a very creative use of the stimulus funds, which will now be used throughout New York.”

The legislation directs the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop standards for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems efficiency improvements. Under the bill, municipalities would be permitted to certify contractors for the performance of energy audits and renewable energy system feasibility studies based on the NYSERDA criteria.