Dems propose ban on fracking using CO2

Democratic state lawmakers are looking to proactively prohibit the latest attempt at extracting methane from the Southern Tier.

Assemblymember Anna Kelles and state Sen. Lea Webb have introduced legislation banning state regulators from issuing permits for activities that would use carbon dioxide to extract oil or gas from the ground. The proposal appears to be a direct response to actions taken by Southern Tie Solutions, which has expressed interest in securing at least 100,000 acres in the Southern Tier to develop “closed-loop drilling” that would pump carbon dioxide into the ground and remove methane.

While the company has argued their plan is environmentally friendly, the proposal has been widely condemned by the environmental community. The memorandum accompany the new legislation argues that extracting methane using CO2 injection will create the same environmental risks as hydraulic fracturing, which was previously banned by the state.