New York's Fracking Ban Under Fire Amid Economic Disparities with Pennsylvania
Critics argue the state's decade-old ban on hydraulic fracturing is hindering economic growth in its Southern Tier region while neighboring Pennsylvania thrives.
New York's ban on hydraulic fracturing, implemented 12 years ago, is facing renewed criticism as economic disparities grow between the state's Southern Tier region and neighboring communities in Pennsylvania that benefit from the practice.
Residents in New York's Chemung County have watched as nearby Bradford County, Pennsylvania, has reaped significant financial benefits from the Marcellus Shale natural gas field, which underlies both regions. Since 2014, when the ban took full effect in New York, Chemung County has seen its economic development lag behind its Pennsylvania counterpart.
Bradford County, by contrast, collects over $10 million annually in payments from gas companies. Individual landowners in Pennsylvania earn substantial royalties from approximately 1,500 active wells. This activity has bolstered the local economy, contributing to a median household income of $61,000 and a poverty rate of 13% in Towanda, Pennsylvania.
In Elmira, located in New York's Chemung County, the median household income stands at $43,000 with a poverty rate of 30%. The economic contrast extends to social indicators, with Bradford County reporting a violent crime rate approximately 60% below the national average, while Elmira's rate is 52% above.
High school graduation rates are also notably higher in Bradford County, with Chemung County experiencing a significantly higher rate of overdose deaths. Critics contend that the fracking ban, enacted under former Governor Andrew Cuomo, has denied New York communities the economic opportunities available across the state line.
Concerns about the environmental impacts of fracking, such as air pollution, groundwater contamination, and seismic activity, have not materialized in the regions where it is practiced, according to the New York Post. The argument is further made that the natural gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale still contributes to carbon emissions as it powers the nation, and New Yorkers derive no economic benefit from its extraction within their state.
The state's current governor, Kathy Hochul, has maintained the ban, a stance that critics like those at the New York Post have labeled as detrimental to the state's economic future. Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has previously voiced support for lifting the ban, positioning it as a key component of his platform for revitalizing New York's economy.