Referred to: The Energy and Environment Committee (Chairwoman Greene and Legislators Bruno, Criswell, Petit, and Wawro)

Legislator Manna Jo Greene and Legislators Archer, Bartels, Cahill, Criswell, Delaune, Donaldson, Gavaris, Greene, Heppner, Petit, Uchitelle and Walter offer the following:

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2011, the Ulster County Legislature adopted into law a prohibition to lease any county-owned lands, including but not limited to County park lands, for high-volume, chemical slickwater hydraulic-fracturing to extract natural gas; and

WHEREAS, on July 25, 2012, the Ulster County Legislature adopted the “Hydraulic Fracturing Brine Prohibition Act” declaring the placement of brine on any road or property of the County of Ulster as unlawful; and

WHEREAS, in 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo banned high-volume hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling, commonly known as “fracking”, in the State of New York because of concerns over health risks, stating that “no child should live near” a shale-gas well because of its potential harm; and

WHERAS, fracking for methane gas has been linked to an increase in methane in the atmosphere; and

WHEREAS, methane is known to have a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 86 times more powerful than that of carbon dioxide in the first two decades it is released into the atmosphere; and

WHEREAS, New York State passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) in 2019 recognizing the immediate danger posed by the climate crisis and the need to take action; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 409 dated October 15, 2019, Ulster County formally declared the Climate Crisis an emergency; and

WHEREAS, the current New York fracking ban does not enjoy the permanence of law, and has loopholes allowing deleterious practices like gelled propane hydraulic fracking; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature fully supports the passage and adoption of S6906/A9678 which would codify into law a permanent ban on horizontal drilling, high volume hydraulic fracturing, and gelled propane hydraulic fracturing in the State of New York; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall forward copies of this resolution to the Orange County Legislature, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, Assembly and Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chairs, all Ulster County elected Assemblymembers and Senators,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                          NOES:    

Passed Committee: Energy and Environment on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE