Senator Tom Libous Talks to EID Marcellus
Jim Willis
Editor, Marcellus Drilling News
New York State Senator Tom Libous, Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate and a member of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel spoke to Energy In Depth Marcellus (EID-M) about the work of the panel and what happens next with natural gas development in New York York State.
EID-M special correspondent Jim Willis asked Sen. Libous about recent statements in the New York Times that seem to indicate the Senator may be softening his support of natural gas development. He explains his statement, reaffirms his support for development and talks about the current status of support in Albany for hydraulic fracturing.
New York State Senator Tom Libous
Will natural gas development proceed in New York any time soon? The Senator shares his thoughts on that all-important question.
Listen to the interview by clicking below.
[podcast]http://eidmarcellus.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InterviewTomLibous_EID.mp3[/podcast]
Running time: 11 minutes 23 seconds
Ed Leighton
Posted at 20:54h, 05 MarchI think Senator Libous is distorting the facts and misleading when he characterized the land owners as impatient. Just over the Broome County boarder is Susquehanna Co. PA where drilling, and the associated economic boom is occurring. NY and NY landowners have been waiting 4 years since the DEC decided that HVHF needed further review. We will now wait for an advisory panel and possible litigation. NY is NOT open for business. HVHF is happening everywhere else with no environmental impacts.
Bryant La Tourette
Posted at 21:51h, 05 MarchJim/EID
Great interview!……It’s a change to hear straight answers from those involved in politics.
It’s hard for any politician to take a side. Some take guesses at what sides to take, some listen to the staff on what side to take. Many just follow. To date Senator Libous in the ONLY representative to call every household in his district to have the people weigh in.
Not just the pro side.
I’m just a greedylandowner.com and have little confidence if any politician.
With few exceptions…..
Senator Libous whatever way this falls know this. You sir are a true representative of the people.
I am a Democrat and a strong proud supporter of this Republican.
Bryant La Tourette
Chenango County Businessman ,Landowner
True environmentalist.
Daniel Otis
Posted at 01:24h, 06 MarchWhy does Senator Libous think that town after town has banned the process?
It’s because we don’t trust the federal or state governments, subject as they are to lobbying money, to do what’s right and protect the people. And we sure as hell don’t trust the gas companies.
When local representatives have opposed the wishes of the people they are supposed to represent, we have thrown them out and elected new ones who have their priorities straight.
Why? Are we opposed to progress? No, of course not–we want real progress, not another few decades of dependence on fossil fuels that is destroying the planet. Are we radical environmentalists? No–I’ve been to dozens of meetings of people concerned about fracking. Most of us have gray hair; very few have been politically active in this vigorous way for decades. Are we trying to deprive poor farmers of income? No–I’ve been to dozens of meetings, and I’ve never heard anyone express anything but regret that this process is too dangerous to bring money to people who need it. It’s one of the few issues that crosses the conservatives-liberal divide.
The simple truth is that people are frightened that their water and air and peace of mind and health will be ruined by fracking. Why do we fear this? Because we have watched the videos–there are hundreds–of people whose pets and farm animals and family members have been injured by fracking. And we’ve read the scientific and press reports on the consequences of fracking, and we see that there is genuine cause for alarm and precious little scientific information on the health effects of fracking.
We won’t tolerate this here. The rights of landowners and gas companies end where ours begin, and we have a right not to risk being poisoned in our homes by multinational energy companies whose record shows that they will do anything, including sacrificing entire communities, in their pursuit of profit.
If Mr. Libous and the gas industry had truly wanted to earn our trust, they would not, for instance, have sought exemptions from elements of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Clean Drinking Water acts. If the process is safe, why are these exemptions necessary? This question is often asked and never answered.
And they might, for instance, withdraw the gag orders their lawyers have imposed on the victims of the worst cases of damage that have taken place across the country, where people, land, or animals have been damaged and compensated by the drillers. I’ve heard that there are thousands, but you won’t allow the public to learn what happened in these cases. People can’t even tell their stories. What are you afraid of? The whole truth.
You have lost, thank goodness. People have informed themselves and risen up to oppose you. I can promise you that if fracking were approved in the Finger Lakes, we could promptly raise a swarm of thousands of protestors who will block the roads for miles, and we’ll put the elderly, those of us on crutches and in wheelchairs, in the front lines. Dramatic footage. It will be worse PR than BP, and I don’t think you can afford too much more of that. We’ve heard enough lies from energy companies; nobody trusts you.
To “komenize” is now a verb–ask Rush Limbaugh. You can’t beat a furious, knowledgeable population with lobbying money, radio ads, and expensive PR campaigns. You lost, and you deserved to lose.
Tom
Posted at 09:54h, 06 MarchI can’t help but notice you write to us from a Cornell.edu e-mail address. That’s nice. You’re using taxpayer money and time to demonstrate you will tolerate no opinions but your own and get your way no matter what. You imagine that all rights begin with you. You demonstrate precisely why we have law – to avoid the kind of tyranny you advocate. Can you tell us where you work at the university and whether it approves of you engaging in such discourse using their address? Or, are you another of those Park Foundation funded folks at the University?
Victor Furman
Posted at 10:55h, 06 MarchBuStEd
Joanne Corey
Posted at 15:55h, 06 MarchTom, just wanted to point out that Cornell is a private university at which several of the colleges are part of the land grant of New York State. Only those colleges receive partal funding from the state. The others, including Arts and Sciences and Engineering, do not. I have no idea in what capacity Mr. Otis is related to Cornell, but there are a number of possibilities, including being an alum who is serving on a board or being retired or taking classes. Even if he is a current employee, he retains his first amendment right to free speech.
Tom
Posted at 23:33h, 06 MarchUnderstood. However, I would think the University would have policies against use of its e-mail system for partisan purposes. Thanks for the comment, though!
Jane
Posted at 00:52h, 07 March…and who cares in what capacity he’s associated with Cornell, as long as he’s enjoying the cleaner-burning natural gas-produced heat that the newly completed physical plant provides! Just another Cornell / Park Foundation hypocrite!
Victor Furman
Posted at 22:31h, 07 MarchStop The Drilling of Natural Gas in Your Community
Stop Using It !!!