Ithaca College

The Co-Presidents of IC’s Environmental Society, Jeremy Betterley (ENVS ’13) and Margaret Keating (ENVS ’12), were among students from across the state who gathered recently in Albany to deliver a message to Governor Cuomo on hydrofracking in New York State. The rally comes as the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) continues to review public comments on the hotly debated issue.

Students with Power Shift NY delivered a petition to the governor's office with signatures from more than a dozen youth leaders across the state calling for a permanent ban on natural gas drilling. "Hydrofracking just results in boom and bust economies and this is not the solution we want for New York. We want thriving, just, and sustainable communities," said K.C. Alvey, Green Umbrella Youth NY.

A hydrofracking moratorium is in place while DEC continues its now four-year review of the controversial issue. Meanwhile, several municipalities across the state have already banned hydrofracking within their jurisdictions. Commissioner Joe Martens noted that DEC will take these bans into consideration when rendering a final decision on whether or not to issue drilling permits.

Watch a video of the recent Power Shift rally: NYhttp://capitalregion.ynn.com/content/top_stories/582450/students-rally-at-the-capitol-to-protest-hydrofracking-in-nys