(Photo Credit: WRGB)

Last fall, Southern Tier Solutions, a Texas-based company contacted 6,500 landowners in three counties inviting them to lease their land for gas extraction and CO2 storage. Although hydraulic fracturing (fracking with water) was banned through an Executive Order in 2014 and permanently banned in the 2021 state budget, the law does not prohibit the use of carbon dioxide for fracking. 

Stopping CO2 Fracking in its tracks

Efforts to update the existing ban are underway – Senator Lea Webb and Assemblymember Anna Kelles have introduced legislation to close the loophole (A08866/S08357). On Wednesday, March 5, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater joined over 100 elected officials, advocates, community members, and scientists in support of amending New York State’s fracking ban to prohibit CO2 and hydraulic fracking.

After the press conference, we joined fellow advocates in visiting Assemblymembers and Senators to build support for the bill (A08866/S08357). 

In late 2023, over 90 organizations including Clearwater sent a letter to Governor Hochul and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins expressing concern about the risks of CO2 fracking and the need to ban drilling and fracking with CO2. Read the letter.

UPDATE: The bill passed the New York State Senate and Assembly with board support in March. Ask Governor Hochul to protect New York from fracking and request she sign A8866/S8357 to update the fracking ban to include CO2 fracking. Call (518) 474-8390 or submit a message here.