It is time to contact state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis and Gov. Paterson again regarding Marcellus Shale gas exploitation. More than 13,000 people commented on the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. Although the formal comment period ended Dec. 31, we still have the right and responsibility to communicate with the governor and DEC.
The revisions to the dSGEIS will have to be significant, given the substantial comments received by DEC. Tell DEC that the revised dSGEIS must be considered a draft and thus be subject to a new public comment period.
Any revision should fully evaluate how "green" gas is. Nobody has calculated the total emissions from obtaining, transporting and using shale gas. While the industry claims it's a clean fuel, leakage of methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, may make it no better than coal. Further, if Marcellus gas floods the market, gas will become cheaper and will reduce incentives to move toward conservation and green energy.
The gas has been there for more than 300 million years; there is no reason to rush. The experiences of our neighbors in Pennsylvania give us many reasons to go slow.
Ellen Z. Harrison
Ithaca
