For Immediate Release

Contact:
Erin Mooney, Trout Unlimited National Press Secretary (703) 284-9408 

Trout Unlimited Supports Governor's Horizontal Fracking Moratorium in New York, But More Protection Needed

Arlington, Va. - "On December 11, Gov. David Paterson took a step in the right direction by executing an order placing a moratorium on the issuance of permits for horizontal, hydraulic fracturing until July 2011," said Katy Dunlap, Director of Trout Unlimited's Eastern Water Project.  "However, by excluding vertical wells from the moratorium, Gov. Paterson has carved out an dangerous exception and has ignored the will of the people - as expressed by the New York legislature - as well as his earlier statements that gas drilling won't be allowed in New York until we can be sure that it won't harm the environment," Dunlap said. 

"The impacts of hydraulic fracturing have not yet been fully assessed by the state and all types of drilling using this technology should be suspended until the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has determined that is safe for the environment and humans. Trout Unlimited calls on Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo to expand the executive order when he enters into office to include vertical wells and to fully protect New York's natural resources from the impact of gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing," Dunlap said.

Trout Unlimited is the nation's largest coldwater conservation organization, with 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.