While opponents of fracking are pleased at a report that Governor Cuomo will wait for a Pennsylvania health study before deciding whether to allow drilling, an industry group warns a business exodus from New York will worsen.
Meanwhile, landowners are preparing to sue the state over lost gas-leasing opportunities. The Associated Press reported over the weekend that Cuomo came close to approving a limited drilling plan last month before environmentalist and former brother-in-law Robert Kennedy Junior persuaded him to await a new study. Cuomo is expected to announce a formal decision after the DEC completes its 5-year-long environmental impact study in coming weeks. The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York says there's no scientific reason at all to continue the delay.