I represent United Community NY, a local advocacy organization committed to providing the best community and opportunities for all New Yorkers. As a concerned citizen, I am writing to you to bring to your attention the importance of utilizing the Marcellus Shale formation in southern New York for natural gas extraction via hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking or fracking), which could bring New York State back as a leader in the nation's economy, environmentalist efforts, and equality.

I will endeavor to share three critical reasons why hydraulic fracturing should be employed in New York. Firstly, utilizing natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation would allow New York to move towards clean energy, positively influencing both the health of the environment and its citizens. Hydraulic fracturing, a fairly recent extraction technology, creates fractures in rock formations, enabling the flow of gas or oil to be recovered. This method recovers significantly higher amounts of natural gas, providing higher rates of energy production. Natural gas energy reduces the severity of air pollution in a localized area, as it produces fewer carbon dioxide and air pollutants compared to other forms of energy resources such as coal and petroleum. With improvements in the public health standard, there would be improved health outcomes for New Yorkers as well. These positives represent the benefits of hydraulic fracturing.

Secondly, hydraulic fracturing requires numerous professionals such as laborers, management, human resources, and more to ensure the project's effectiveness. These positions offer hundreds of jobs to native New Yorkers, stimulating the local economy as well as boosting the socioeconomic status of the state community. This steady income ensures financial stability for many families and allows them to focus on other important responsibilities, such as personal health and community engagement. Besides, utilizing natural gas energy saved money that could be used to support the community. According to Forbes Magazine, this has meant that "more money [went] into the pockets of American families and businesses."

Lastly, hydraulic fracturing is a safe alternative for accessing natural resources and the most effective way to use clean energy in New York State. Earlier before the invention of hydraulic fracturing, natural gas was extracted by using explosives to loosen sedimentary rock or acids, gasoline, and sand to stimulate gas flow through limestone formations. Hydraulic fracturing, where water mixed with sand is injected into formations at high pressure to create fractures was revitalized and improved throughout the 1970s and 1980s by partnering with horizontal drilling. This advancement in fracking technology represents an opportunity to focus more of New York's energy efforts on hydraulic fracturing while being mindful of workers' safety and environmental protection. Statements made by the US Department of Energy Ground Water Protection Council also support the safety of hydraulic fracking, highlighting its protection of groundwater during the extraction process. Additionally, compared to coal mining with its attendant risks of breathing in toxic gasses and oil spills that threaten the environment, hydraulic fracturing keeps its workers safe and eliminates such hazards, making it a more reliable option for harnessing natural gas.

In conclusion, the benefits of utilizing the Marcellus Shale formation to obtain natural gas energy far outweigh the negatives. Natural gas is an affordable energy option for the state that can stimulate its economy and create hundreds of jobs. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly and produces cleaner air and fewer pollutants that translate to improved public health standards. Lastly, advancements in hydraulic fracturing have made the extraction process safer and more effective, making it the best option to harness natural gas. I urge you to consider these benefits and explore the potential of using hydraulic fracturing to benefit all New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

Catherine Pribyl

Sources Referenced

The following sources have been cited in this report:

1. Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Improving people's health and the Progress of Air Cleanup. EPA. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/progress-cleaning-air-and-improving-peoples-health.

2. Environmental Protection Agency. (2022, February 14). The Process of Unconventional Natural Gas Production. EPA. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/uog/process-unconventional-natural-gas-production.

3. Greenstone, M. (2018, February 20). Balancing the Costs and Benefits of Fracking. Forbes. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ucenergy/2018/02/20/fracking-has-its-costs-and-benefits-the-trick-is-balancing-them/?sh=4fa2fb9f19b4.

4. Lomax, S. (2013, January 17). Boulder-Dash of a County Commissioner in Colorado. Energy In Depth. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.energyindepth.org/in-colorado-a-county-commissioners-boulder-dash/.

5. Morton, M. Q., Carstens, H., & Archer, S. (2013). A Brief History of Hydraulic Fracturing - Unlocking the Earth. GEO ExPro. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2014/02/unlocking-the-earth-a-short-history-of-hydraulic-fracturing.

6. U.S Energy Information Administration. (2021, December 8). Independent Statistics and Analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Natural gas and the environment - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-and-the-environment.php#:~:text=Natural%20gas%20is%20a%20relatively,an%20equal%20amount%20of%20energy

7. Zielinski, S. (2014, February 13). Natural Gas Eclipses Coal in Environmental Benefits. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/natural-gas-really-better-coal-180949739/.