Albany – Elected Officials to Protect New York, a network of hundreds of local elected officials across the state, issued the following statement about the NYS Budget, which includes a permanent ban on fracking and siting reform for large scale renewable energy.

“Elected Officials to Protect New York applauds the passage of New York’s fracking ban into law in the New York 2020-21 budget. Keeping fracking out of New York State is crucial to protect our state’s natural resources, keep our communities safe and protect our businesses that depend on clean air, water and food to thrive,” said, Greg Young, Fulton County Supervisor and Co-Coordinator of EOPNY. 

“We are also happy to see the passage of siting reform on large scale renewable energy. As local elected officials, we look forward to continued collaboration to develop a streamlined approval process for renewable energy projects, especially on abandoned commercial sites and brownfields, while respecting the home rule and land use decision-making authority of local communities. New York is a leader in climate action, and by working together, we can protect our environment for future generations.” 

Additional info:

Elected Officials to Protect New York (EOPNY) is a statewide, non-partisan network of current and former New York State elected officials committed to protecting a healthy and prosperous environment for our communities.

To see EOPNY’s original letter to Governor Cuomo calling for a halt to fracking and the most recent letter signed by more than 100 elected officials calling on the Governor to ramp up large scale renewables, clean energy jobs and a reject fossil fuel infrastructure, go to https://www.nyelectedofficials.org/.