It can't come soon enough for many municipalities and landowners.
Others say the results could be a living nightmare.
We're talking about natural gas drilling.
As NewsChannel 34's Peter Quinn shows us, last night the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation hosted a public hearing on its preliminary report about drilling guidelines in the Marcellus Shale.
It was standing room only at Chenango Valley High School.
Those in favor see the dollar signs.
Millions and billions of dollars would be injected into our local economy in the future from drilling a lot of wells.
For instance Broome County Deputy County Executive Pat Brennan says Broome is losing out on money and jobs because the DEC hasn't issued guidelines and a final Marcellus Shale drilling report yet.
Pat Brennan says, "One company already told my administration that it has created 800 jobs in PA. Another company told my administration that it was looking to invest over 500 million dollars in development cost for the Marcellus. While originally those funds were targeted for New York State, all those dollars have been moved to Pennsylvania."
Town leaders from around Broome also spoke in favor of drilling as soon as possible to get cash flowing in.
Drew Piaschyk is a councilman elect from the relatively poor and rural town of Plymouth in Chenango County.
He's a farmer and says before drilling begins several important things need to be added to the proposed drilling guidelines, including odorizing gas in all low pressure transmission lines and ...
Drew Piaschyk says, "What I don't see is traceability of the frack fluid so that if our groundwater is contaminated that we have some traceability as to how it was done and who did it. I want them to have to add tracer die to the frack fluid as a requirement."
Others oppose drillings.
And, say people need to step back and look at the entire picture.
Imagine thousands of wells being drilled in every county in the area.
Gas drillers in Susquehanna County Pennsylvania have contaminated water supplies and ruined landscapes.
Mike Bernhard is with the group Seadog, a gas drilling opposition group in Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego counties
Mike Bernhard says, "I think the local governments are looking at a way to keep the system going as it is, they're riding it. I understand why they want the income. But, those people that are sacrificing their counties aren't going to be around in 10 or 50 years when the problems start happening."
Bernhard believes the state is on the side of drillers.
Mike says, "If we talk long enough and organize and educate in our communities, we believe that people will decide to abandon gas drilling or regulate it or anywhere in between. Maybe they want it to be regulated in their community more than the next community."
This public hearing is one of four across the state.
Ken Lynch on the DEC's timing with trying to come up with Marcellus drilling guidelines.
Ken says, "It's really difficult to say as far as time frame right now. We expect thousands of comments so that will take some timer. We're going to be both expeditious and thorough in reviewing comments. We have to balance all the interests. We'll try to move the process forward, but we also have to make sure that we are listening to everybody."
In Chenango Bridge, PQNC34.
