ALBANY -- Hundreds rallied Monday at the State Capitol. The group was a coalition of organizations and individuals who are voicing their concerns on hydrofracking.
Hyrofracking is the controversial drilling method that is being proposed to blast free the natural gas trapped in the Marcellus shale throughout the southern tier of New York.
It involves pumping millions of gallons of chemically treated water a mile or so into the shale at high pressure. This cracks the rock allowing the gas to flow to the surface.
There is currently a moratorium on the issuing of new permits, which is set to expire in July. The Department of Environmental Conservation is preparing a study on the impact of gas drilling in the region along with revised guidelines on how it should proceed.
Critics say the frack water that is returned to the surface is contaminated with toxic chemicals and radioactive elements, putting water supplies, public health and the environment at risk.
Supporters of the fracking process feel the dangers to the environment are minimal.
