Opinion

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On May 17, 1880 the New York Times reported, “New-Hampton was once one of the most important places in this county (Orange County, New York), being the center of several large manufacturing interests. But, by the authority of the State, the industrial interests of the village were destroyed in order to increase the acreage of the farmers along the upper waters of the Wallkill.

NASA Landsat ProgramSediment, seemingly a simple parameter, turns out to have complex economic and environmental links to much of what goes on in the entire watershed.

The Mohawk River is both the largest tributary to the Hudson and, in the words of John Cronin, Director of the Beacon Institute, the neglected stepchild of the Hudson.  Among the problems faced by the Mohawk River community, that has not been a recent issue in the Hudson Estuary, is flooding.  A June, 2006 flood destroyed private and public property.  It contributed to Beech-Nut, a major employer in Canajoharie, relocating.  Floods are also a frequent occurrence in Schenectady due to ice jams.

Summary: It appears inevitable that New York will see the exploitation of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing of shale. The NY DEC has a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement and draft regulations out for public comment. Despite their thoroughness, the DEC drafts ignore recommendations stemming from the analysis of other industrial accidents, including last year’s BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill.