Poll after poll shows the public’s opinion of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in New York is pretty much an even split.
Today, however, hydrofracking supporters are touting Siena College’s annual “State of New York Survey,” which was released today. The poll shows 75 percent of the New Yorkers surveyed support developing domestic energy sources, like oil and natural gas.
Developing the state’s natural-gas reserves “would create jobs, bring in millions of dollars in revenues for local and state government and reduce utility bills for New Yorkers across the state,” Karen Moreau, executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council, said in a statement. “New York can do this safely and responsibly while creating jobs and that’s why New Yorkers are overwhelmingly in support.”
But results differ dramatically when comparing today’s Siena poll to previous surveys from the college. In August, Siena found 39 percent of New York voters favor allowing hydrofracking in parts of upstate, while 38 were opposed and 23 percent had no opinion or not enough information.
The difference? The August poll (and previous Siena surveys) mentioned the word “hydrofracking,” the technique used with gas drilling that has become the topic of nationwide debate, and specifically asked whether respondents believe the Department of Environmental Conservation should green light it.
Today’s survey did not, instead asking a broader question of whether New Yorkers support “increasing the exploration and development of domestic energy including oil and natural gas.”
High-volume hydrofracking, of course, remains on hold in New York as the DEC continues its environmental review, which has recently been expanded to include a review from the Department of Health. The DEC’s process was first launched in July 2008.
8 Comments
Why would promoters of unconventional gas drilling in New York State think that this poll has anything to do with changes in opinion on that specific topic? If the poll question is about “increasing the exploration and development of domestic energy including oil and natural gas,” it is not about drilling in New York State in particular; it is about all forms of domestic energy in the entire United States. “Development of domestic energy” includes geothermal, biomass, biofuels, etc. Even “including oil and gas” encompasses conventional sources, which are still the most prevalent.
If Karen Moreau knows how hydrofracking can be done safely, why is she keeping it from all of the rest of us, including the gas and petroleum industry she works for? Gas and oil industry’s own research shows that 5% of wells leak immediately and 60% leak over 30 years. This is common knowledge among industry personnel who don’t care if our groundwater is forever contaminated.
This article is lacking a lot like what specific question was asked then and now, what was the split between for, against, and undecided, and what could possibly caused such a dramatic shift in two months. Frankly the author should realize there are ways to develope domestic energy including oil and gas that do not involve high volum horizontal fracking. Those ways could even include wind, hydro, and nuclear. And there are even means of getting oil and gas out of the ground that do not involve HVHF. Also, there are different perceptions involved on the part of those being questioned.
In short, trying to infer that 75% of New Yorker favor fracking is a bunch of crap.
Distortion of intent is big time in this release. Jon Campbell has no business to make a claim in the first sentence that NY’rs are evenly split.
When citizens have no information to base an opinion on, you cannot claim a valid opinion pole! The grassroots movement to educate the state population and law makers has grown dramatically this past year. And still we constantly run into people who are not aware of the depth of this topic.
Karen Moreau, executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council is doing nothing more than propaganda media for her industy!
Sure, even I’m interested in “developing domestic energy sources”! But No! to hydrofracking that takes our fresh drinking water and puts us all at high health risks! NY can do much better than that. If they – the industry – have such safe ways to do that, why are they not in practice right now?
Interpreting the responses to this type of question is like looking at a rorshach. One can read into it what they wish.
Campbell should have done a better job explaining the intent of the question as did some of those who commented.
By using such broad statements when polling people, I don’t see how anyone could interpret this as anything but trying to see if people are for energy exploration. And no where did it mention upstate NY. So how could anyone take from this “survey” that most NYers want Hydrofracking? This is just another attempt to twist the numbers. As with so many others, to make one’s point. This is a bogus attempt and should be re-polled specifically asking if people would want NY to be opened to Hydrofracking. I think you would find the “numbers” quite different.
campbell is twisting the pollsters’ words, which DO NOT support his IRRESPONSIBLE “reporting.”
Wow-tAlk about distorting the facts! This article is a perfect example of just that, as is this Sienna poll ( not “polE) ! To claim that a whopping 75% of New Yorkers are in favor of fracking because they ARE interested in developing new energy sources is beyond irresponsible interpretation and journalism; it’s a load of crap!! It is very common knowledge after all this time that the fracking companies are well aware of the dangers associated with fracking, and are continuosly trying to gloss over those dangers. They are also trying to convince New Yorkers that fracking will offer thousands of jobs-but they don’t tell you that they essentially use their own ” gypsey workers, ” so to speak, who already know what they’re doing and can travel with the drilling operations, so there WON’T be a multitude of new jobs here! And as for the so called “economic boom” that they keep telling us to expect if fracking is allowed-what about the enormous costs-to the towns, counties, and state-to constantly try to keep our infrastructure in decent shape after all the enormous trucks drive 400 times a month up and down them!? Some of the other states where fracking has damaged the roads have stopped trying to fix their roads because there is no longer any point. And who do you think bears the burdon of those costs, anyway? I’ll give you a hint- it sure isn’t the fracking company involved in the damage! And let’s not even get into the enormous costs to the environment and to the health of ALL living things near fracking operations…that’s a whole ‘nother topic!! No, the majority of New Yorkers are assuredly NOT in favor of hydrofracking!!