Fracking Likely to Dominate R'ville Public Hearing

The Richmondville Town Board will be holding its regular board meeting for the month of July tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad building located on Route 7 near the outskirts of the Village. It was rescheduled to this evening due to the Ethington hearings that were held last week.

In addition to the regular agenda, members of the board and general public will have the opportunity to comment during a public hearing on the new proposed Zoning Law, which has been under review and rewrite for several years, and can be viewed on the municipality's website here. 

One potential point of contention within the proposed law is language viewed as hostile to fracking interests, which was promoted by members of the community concerned with the controversial natural gas practice of extraction, and has become a hot button topic of discussion in the Town of Richmondville. 

The Center for Sustainable Rural Communities, which favors stringent language against fracking and other industry related activities in Richmondville, sent an email to supporters Wednesday afternoon urging area residents to attend tonight's meeting and stand for the proposed environmental protections. 

Letter to the Editor: Residents Need to Remain Vigilant on Pipeline

Dear Editor:

For almost two years residents of Schoharie County have faced the possibility that a large, high-pressure natural gas pipeline would cut through the heart of the County while landowners in its path would face the seizure of their property under eminent domain or be forced to settle for a small one-time payment in exchange for giving up control of their property to Constitution Pipeline Company forever. At the same time many read news stories about the terrible safety record of the very companies proposing to build the pipeline, with almost monthly reports of fires and explosions, all to facilitate the export of fracked gas to Canada and ultimately overseas.

To their credit, many area residents organized and resisted bullying by the pipeline company, while simultaneously, the NY State DEC and other agencies called the pipeline company’s proposal inadequate and potentially harmful to the environment.  As a result, the Constitution Pipeline approval process has been significantly delayed and the project may never be built.

But before beleaguered landowners could breathe a sigh of relief they now have a second pipeline proposal slashing through many of the same properties. It is clear Schoharie County is a target for exploitation by gas companies who think they can do what they want to rural communities and ultimately, build an infrastructure that will help them frack our farms, fields and backyards.

The only way to stop them is to refuse to allow them to survey, to refuse to sign your rights away. Constitution is in trouble because the residents of our region have said “no” in large numbers. So far Schoharie County has been stronger than the drillers and the pipeline companies. We need to continue to be strong and not allow the dangerous industrialization of our rural communities.

If you receive a letter from a pipeline company return it to them with a registered letter denying them permission to come on your property.  If they knock on your door, send them away without permission to survey. If, at any time, you are harassed, threatened, intimidated or trespassed upon by pipeline representatives call the Center for Sustainable Rural Communities toll-free Landowner Response Line at 1-800-795-1467 and we will stand with you and help you protect your rights.

For additional information visit the Stop the Pipeline web site: www.stopthepipeline.org and consider attending the Stop the Pipeline meetings held monthly in Oneonta.

Bob Nied

Board of Directors

Center for Sustainable Rural Communities

Letter to the Editor: Resident Blasts Schumer on Fracking

Senator Chuck Schumer says fracking is good and there is widespread support for it. Congress just gave the green light to ship LNG overseas, and he's wasting no time getting the message out to the industry that Upstate NY is for sale.

Mr. Schumer, we want fracking about as much as we want skin rashes, nosebleeds, lung cancer, earthquakes, tap water you can light with a match and the greenhouse gas, methane.

Why is that over 210 municipalities have adopted legislation to ban fracking in NY State? Maybe it's because we've done our homework and seen the destruction this industry leaves in its wake.

New Yorkers will not be lured by the promise of jobs when it means sacrificing the health of our families and our homeland for the profit of a large corporation. What happened to the jobs that were promised by the rebuilding of our infrastructure, or green energy jobs that would restore a sustainable planet.

Annually, $52 Billion US tax dollars go to oil, gas and coal companies in Federal subsidies. Someone please wake up Senator Schumer, he's spending too much time in bed with the fossil fuelers.

Regards,

Deborah Krol

Plurality Supports Fracking in Schoharie County

With over one hundred and fifty votes cast since Monday, a narrow plurality of Schoharie News readers support the idea of fracking - in one form or another - within Schoharie County. The result is surprising to say the least, given the strong local opposition to the Constitution Pipeline that was expressed in a similar survey last December.

Do you support fracking in Schoharie County?

Yes, no matter what                 - 19 (12.6%)

Yes, if environmentally safe     - 57 (37.7%)

No                                            - 72 (47.7%)

Undecided                                - 3 (1.9%)

The poll's margin was narrow at just four votes, and it reflects the county's divisive split on the contentious issue, but opponents of the controversial method of natural gas extraction should feel comforted that overall 84% of voters opposed any initiative that would be harmful to the environment, a major concern at the forefront of their fight. 

Local Opposition Persists to Pipeline, Despite New Right of Way Leases

With public opposition quietening in recent months over Constitution's proposed natural gas pipeline that would complete its approximatly 124 mile journey in Schoharie County, the company has been busily working under the radar to negotiate right of way leases from local landowners.

The proposed pipeline, which would originate in Pennsylvania and end in the Town of Wright, passes through seven local townships: Jefferson, Summit, Richmondville, Cobleskill, Middleburgh, Schoharie, and Wright. Thus far, roughly 50% of property holders have granted easements, leaving Constitution in an unfavorable position to justify federal approval.

However, since the New Year, the company has obtained eleven new right of way leases according to the Schoharie County Clerk's Office. The new batch of leases are primarily in the Towns of Schoharie and Summit, including one costly $10,500 contract that secures Constitution passage through Shaul Farms property near the Schoharie Days Inn and Suites.

But despite recent successes local opposition is still present, as demonstrated by the Blenheim Town Board's unanimous decision to ban any form of natural gas production within their boundaries, and the release of an anti-fracking documentary by filmmaker and Village of Middleburgh Trustee Bill Morton. 

Still, to the distress of advocates and supporters alike on both sides of the controversy, little can be done locally to resolve the situation; as that power rests solely with the federal government.

Blenheim Unaminously Approves Abatements, Fracking Law

With everyone in attendance voicing support for the controversial idea, members of the Blenheim Town Board voted unanimously in favor of two local laws Monday evening that pertain to tax abatements. The laws are the brainchild of Town of Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone, and have seen momentum spread across the Valley in recent weeks. 

Blenheim's version offers assessment exemptions to first time home buyers, and reconstruction efforts up to 50% of the house's value for five years, with the abatements being phased out in 10% annual increments. Both were specifically recommended by Real Property Tax Services. 

In other action, Blenheim board members voted - again without public, or political opposition - in of another proposed local law that would ban hydrofracking in their small community. The Town will formally pass the law next month, after receiving a referral from the County Planning Commission.

Poll: No Thanks to Constitution Pipeline

Schoharie News readers say thanks but no thanks to the idea of bringing the Constitution Pipeline through Schoharie County. The natural gas pipe would traverse several towns in the County. With concerns about the Blenheim explosion still fresh in the County's collective memory, a significant majority is against the project.

What Is Your Opinion on the Constitution Pipeline?

For- 34: 26%
Against- 76: 58%
Undecided: 20: 15%
Total: 130

The results are over two-to-one against-- mounting a major challenge to the idea that the pipeline may be coming through the County sometime soon.