The New York State Assembly adopted a resolution yesterday, March 6, to suspend state permits for natural gas hydraulic fracturing for two years to give lawmakers time to review health and safety data. The bill, Assembly 5424-A, would suspend such permits until May 15, 2015 and does not apply to drilling of conventional vertical natural gas wells outside the Marcellus and Utica formations. The state Senate is considering a similar measure.
Under the Assembly bill, a State University of New York public health school is required to conduct a health impact assessment to identify risks associated with the process, also known as "fracking," and to develop a long-term plan for monitoring, evaluating, tracking and mitigating potential health impacts.