Many communities in New York state have banded together to limit or delay unconventional natural gas drilling or related operations in their municipalities. Below is a map and list of areas where this is occurring. These are updated weekly by our New York affiliate, Karen Edelstein. Click on the images to zoom in or print them. If any of the maps look incorrect, please contact Karen: edelstein@fractracker.org. Archived maps can be found at the bottom of this page. For an interactive version of this same map, click here.
Municipal movements against hydrofracking. Updated 05/20/2013.
Bans and moratoria summary, 05/20/2013
Municipal total: 57 bans, 104 moratoria, 92 movements for prohibitions (bans or moratoria).
2013: May 20 | May 1 | April 9 | March 16 | February 25 | February 12 | January 24 | January 16
2012: December 27 | December 20 | November 20 | November 8 | October 8 | September 19 | August 29 | August 14 | July 26 | July 13 | June 29 | June 14 | May 28 | May 20 | May 8 | Apr 27 | Apr 16 | Mar 29 | Mar 14 | Feb 29 | Feb 16 | Jan 16
2011: Dec 29 | Dec 15 | Nov 28 | Nov 16 | Oct 31 | Oct 16 | Sept 15 | Aug 30 | Aug 15
Recently, numerous municipalities in New York State started passing resolutions indicating that they are open to high volume hydraulic fracturing. Here’s the most recent map, below, showing the towns over the Marcellus and Utica shale formations that have taken this step.
Municipal anti-ban movements
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I noticed that you leverage arcgis online and make the data available through feature services. Is there any way you can provide the credential or the map server capabilities for those of us wishing to consume the services?
Doug,
It is our understanding that you can add any of our layers to your maps. Also, in theory, it should be possible for you to download our content by finding the feature service page, but we have had people tell us that it isn’t working as expected for those who are not signed in to our organization. If you are looking for specific data, please let us know. For maps in New York, it is best to contact Karen Edelstein at edelstein@fractracker.org
Thanks for your post! It really helps me a lot in doing my
research about the drilling industry. If you have more
articles, please don’t hesitate to
post. It will greatly help.
An acquaintance of mine is an environmental engineer and knows much about HVHF. While admitting that fracking causes many problems he is Pro fracking because . . . (Are you ready for this?).
It will creat more jobs for the engineers to try to make fracking safe.
Create more jobs for engineers, inspectors, regulators and the companies who will have to dispose of the proppants.
It is about the $$$ and forget about the permanent harm to our planet. I call this simple greed.
Webster, NY
To New York state fractivists: I live in southeastern Minnesota (yep, Flyover Land : ) on the Mississippi River. Our area, and across the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin, is also being invaded by Big Oil & Gas …. We don’t have shale, so there is no fracking. But what we DO have is the best frac SAND in North America, which makes the best proppant (to “prop” open the fractures in the shale during hydro-fracking). This area of bucolic bluffland is one of the most beautiful areas of the country, but these companies are doing just what they want to do to NY — lease and buy land under the radar, propagandize residents and local officials and convince them that “Sand = Jobs” and that this is inevitable, “so better just try to regulate it,” “We want to be good neighbors,” etc. What they are doing is strip mining, and they want to level our hills to the ground (literally, it’s in their business plans) and ship the sand to North Dakota and Pennsylvania etc. The silica sand is a carcinogen, as is the diesel from the 80,000-pound trucks that haul it. We, too, have scores of citizen groups in MN and WI very active, but it’s tough. Our entire way of life is being destroyed. We don’t have big cities and thus no big media markets, and not much population, so the rest of the U.S. doesn’t know of our plight. All of our counties in this corner of MN (and many in Wisconsin) have enacted moratoria, but those only last a year or two before they must be lifted. We are lobbying Governor Dayton and the MN legislature to declare a regional moratorium, to be lifted only upon completion of a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) and full implementation of its recommendations. We fully support you in New York in your fight against these marauders, and we stand with you. Let’s try and stay connected in our movements — Without Our Sand, They Can’t Frack Your Land, after all… In solidarity, Jim Gurley, Winona Area Citizens Concerned About Silica Mining (C.A.S.M.) – Winona County, Minnesota (jgurley@hbci.com)
Jim,
We’d be very happy to partner with organizations such as CASM in Minnesota to help with data mapping and to get the word out on the activities surrounding silica/sand mining, leasing, etc. Truly, we are connected in so many ways. Feel free to get in touch either through this public forum, or through our individual staff email addresses. Thanks for writing in.
Karen Edelstein
Karen – Feel free to contact us, too! We are fighting the proposed sand mining in northeast Iowa for the same reasons as Jim has listed. Anything we can do to help…you can count on us.
Dear Mr. Gurley,
Upon reading your news about what you are going through in Minnesota, I have just finished writing to your Governor Dayton. Am passing on your information too.
Regards,
SV
from Staten Island, NY
can you move from moratoriums to bans — so far the only hope for NY — primarily using zoning laws ?
Appeals court upheld this tactic unanimously this week. I’m sure this isn’t the end of it, but we’re keeping them at bay so far. I’m a lifelong resident of new york and this has been three plus long years of fighting across the state. Hopefully it continues. The governor is being wary due to large amount of active citizens on the issue. Such a shame New York’s the only state that could bother to fight. Keep at it against the sand. Tired of hearing about our land being destroyed over paper and fumes.
http://www.kentucky.com/2013/05/02/2624133_appeals-court-upholds-local-fracking.html
Just a reminder to those commenting on this page, please keep the comments clean and respectful. – Sam, FracTracker Alliance
to John Flavin-
Since you’re an engineer, biologist and a geologist maybe you can explain to me just what part of injecting millions of gallons
of hazardous and poisonous chemicals into the ground is not called POLLUTION? All the energy in the universe isn’t worth
[anything] without clean water to drink. Maybe you should tell the people in Pennsylvannia who can’t drink their water, or even
shower in it without smelling like an oil pan on a ’57 Buick, how safe hydrofracking is? I am not against drilling for oil or natural gas
under regular conditions, but anyone who says you can inject millions of gallons of hazardous chemicals into the ground,
at a pressure high enough to fracture bedrock, and then control where it all goes and retrieve all of it, is either
delusional or lying and so greedy that he cares nothing about our planet or what we are going to leave behind for our children.
Chris Woolston
In the list of town that have passed bans, you have “Guilderlands” in “Schenectady” County. This should be “Guilderland” in “Albany” County.
Thanks for pointing out that error, Steve. We’ll make those corrections shortly.
Add the Town of Triangle is moving toward a ban
Thanks for the update!
Hi Karen,
Here in the Town of Roseboom, Otsego County, we have also had a very strong movement for a ban and/or a moratorium. But our Town Board has also been dragging its feet because they don’t want to have to commit to anything and offend a few influential landowners. We did finally get the Board to approve a Comp Plan and got a law introduced to ban “heavy industry”, including fracking. We’re still waiting.
TOWN OF BARKER should be included as moving toward a ban. Visit: http://www.concernedcitizensofruralbroome.org
The citizens of this country have the right to protect their families, homes, air, water, and soil. Our elected officials have to be reminded that they represent us! I am tired of short-sighted energy decisions, elected officials that can be bought, and the fossil fuel industry who cares only for it’s own selfish interests. Ban Fracking Now! I would like to see NY State lead the way for renewable energy!
Dona,
It is noble to want to preserve the environment, yet one can conserve while still extracting gas miles below the surface. You make pejorative statements about the fossil fuel industry, while at the same time benefiting from the economic reality of cheap gas. That gas will warm your home and the places you visit this winter. When one paints with a broad brush they have a tendency to miss some important spots. You can say “Now! I would like to see NY State lead the way for renewable energy!” WOW! What does that mean? 1) In 2011 wind farms came under attack for bird kills 2) The average sunshine in NY would not support a solar solution. What renewable energy solution did you have in mind. People hear the word frac and their hair stands up. As an engineer, biologist and geologist I have witness hydraulic stimulation for 30 years. It has been done safely and judiciously. Now people without a science or engineering background are criticizing a process they do not understand. Pity!
Mr. Flavin,
“When one paints with a broad brush they have a tendency to miss some important spots”. No kidding. I have personally helped install dozens of solar systems in NY and NJ. As a scientist why do feel your personal anecdotal opinion trumps multiple ongoing national studies on the health impacts of HVHF?
From NYSEIA’s website:
“There are currently more than 347 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in New York, employing 3,300.
30 MW of solar were installed in New York in the fourth quarter of 2012. New York ranked 9th nationally in Q4 installations. See more solar state rankings.
In 2012, New York ranked 11th nationally in solar capacity installed.
New York ranks 12th nationally in cumulative installed solar capacity. There is enough solar energy installed in the state to power 27,000 homes.
In 2012, $257 million was invested in New York to install solar on homes and businesses. This represents a 91% increase over the previous year, and is expected to grow again this year.
Average installed residential and commercial photovoltaic system prices in New York continue to fall–by 13% from last year. National prices have also dropped steadily–by 14% from last year and 31% since 2010.”
‘About’ info for Real NYS Facebook community, which is accumulating data on anti-fracking owners of land in New York: “We are a grassroots group of landowners dedicated to protecting our land from fracking. Join us! Add your land to our list.”
It doesn’t have to be a large piece of property. Go here: http://realnys.com/
Thank you for all you do.
Summerhill passed a ban months ago. Three of four board members voted in favor of preserving the health and beauty of our rural
our rural environment. All had originally leased their land to the gas companies. Knowing the facts changed their minds.
Does anybody know why there is so little activity on bans in delaware county?
About half of Delaware County is within the New York City watershed, which is off-limits to hydraulic hydrofracturing. I don’t know why the other towns have not had more activity (at least that we’re aware of). The Town of Delaware, however, has passed a resolution indicating that they are in favor of drilling.
Here in Sidney NY we have elected 4 Anti Frack candidates for Town Board and are still working to pass a Ban or Moratorium against opposition from Chamber of Commerce, recalcitrant Town Supervisor and Delaware County who all support gas drilling and the Constitution Pipeline, a Cabot /Williams LLC that would “open new drilling areas”.
Hello all.. my husband and I are relatively new to this but certainly on board with a BAN for NY!! Does anyone have information about East Bloomfield. I see West Bloomfield on the list, but any info about East would be appreciated.
The last time I see county listed is back in March: Dutchess, Onondaga, Ontario, Sullivan, Tompkins and Ulster. Does anyone know if other counties have adopted bans or moratoria since then?
My understanding is that this is a municipal matter (towns and cities). Counties may adopt laws to protect county property such as county roads but do not have zoning rights over towns and cities.
Just returned to Kentucky from visiting Hilary in Ithaca. To all those whom I didn’t get a chance to thank personally for their effort and dedication to disallow hydraulic fracturing in their backyard, THANK YOU !!!! You all are a very special and courageous bunch of people.
Just returning from visit to Ithaca. Hilary showed me some of the sites, and updated me on anti-fracking progress. To those whom I didn’t personally extend high compliments and thanks to, THANK YOU. Your efforts and dedication to stop this madness are much appreciated !!!
Wm. Duke Hopper
Retired Proffessional Geologist
Karen: thanks for continuing to post this useful information.
It is a shame that this is a static map, and that there’s no option to download all of the layers like you can with many other maps on this site. Why?
Your map of New York state showing the various levels of opposition to fracking is a great encouragement and help to many others in the struggle to stop this industry from coming to New York. Please include Afton, NY (Zip 13730) in the “Movement” category as the Afton Vision Group has been working to increase awareness of the residents and Town Board of the many serious dangers of fracking
and the need for a moratorium &/or a ban.
Thank you for the maps and all your hard work.
April Leggett
You can also see interactive versions of this map (which allow for data downloads) posted as snapshots on FracTracker. The most recent snapshot is here: http://data.fractracker.org/cbi/snapshot/page?concept=~01533bca38c86d11e18e43c45b448b699a
Thank you Karen, for your GIS expertise and map-making talents!
My husband and I, with our two very young children, just moved our family from SW PA. Fracking turned our little town there into an industrial zone, with fighting neighbors, angry school boards, and diesel trucks galore. Counties around us had many, many serious problems with water contamination and many farmers were having a rough time with the treatment of their land. We decided we were not going to sit and be guinea pigs to Industry… So we are now staying with family here in NY, and we are not buying anything in an area where fracking is permitted. It is not worth it. Our next place, we are heating with wood. We will not burn what is actively ruining friendships, land and resources way more valuable than the here and now profit. Thank you for this map!
I am in Saratoga County and it looks like we need some help up her getting things started. Myself and a friedn have passed out some newspapers on banning the process but I think we might need a little more direction. Also, thank you for putting this together. It is very helpeful.
Anita
Unfortunately a movement to get municipalities to declare they won’t enact a ban/moratorium is underway; perhaps a record of that should be kept as well. The good news is that so far– I think– it’s been non-binding resolutions. But I know that Ground Zero towns of Spencer and Van-Etten in Tioga County have passed resolutions of No Ban/Moratorium. I believe the Town of Wheeler is also considering this.
What is the basis for this information. I am not aware of any movements for a moratorium on hydrofracking in Chemung County. Your web site sites the Towns of Big Flats, Horseheads, and Van Etten.I work with these communities all of the time and serve as the predisident of the coiunty’s economic development office. I am not aware of any “movements”. Please advise as to your source of information or remove these Towns from your list.
Thank You
Dear Mr. Miner,
Thank you for your note. Across New York State there are scores of groups–some based in individual towns and villages, and others with a wider geographic focus–that are educating themselves and their neighbors about the risks, both economically and environmentally, that hydrofracking may entail. This map reflects local movements for bans or moratoria by groups that have contacted us, or whom we learn about through our day-to-day work on this issue. The group that I am aware of in Van Etten is called “SAVE”–short for “Save Van Etten.” Unfortunately I do not have the details about the groups in Horseheads and Big Flats at this time, but I am aware of activity there. I hope that clarifies things for you.
Karen Edelstein
George Miner sent letters to all the towns in Chemung County containing the proposed resolution (with language from JLC) that pretty much say “frack us first” and all but promise to prohibit moratoriums and bans. He sent those out I think in early May – within days (or maybe hours) of posting his comment above.
In a 3-2 decision, the town of Butternuts tonight passed a 9-month moratorium on gas-drilling operations. The full text of the law may be read at http://www.gilbertsville.com/butternuts/index.htm
For those residents who for two years now have articulated their opposition to hydrofracking at monthly town board meetings, gathered 800 signatures requesting a townwide ban, continued to educate themselves and others about threats posed by hydrofracking, and elected representatives who would be responsive to the majority of the town, this is a very gratifying moment.
United we stand, divided we’re fracked. tw
Teresa Winchester
It’s a shame that this is just a static map and not like all the other Google map ones on FracTracker.org
There’s a FracTracker snapshot on bans and moratoria in New York State that I posted in late February that can be found here: http://data.fractracker.org/cbi/snapshot/page?concept=~018db8aac4624611e1aaa1999a12b606cc . I’m also in the process of updating the data link to reflect changes current to May 1…as I type this!
I live in Hartwick, NY. Even though our town board approved a survey which was developed by
the Hartwick Conservation Advisory Committee a board recognized group which showed a
80% response against fracking they are dragging their feet. These maps and lists are very
helpful in pushing the ban along.
Thanks for doing this we really appreciate your work.
James Herman
Thanks for your committed work, James. If there’s anything we can do from here to help out, like provide mapping trainings for your group, or develop any other maps for you that might help you out, do let us know. You can email me at edelstein@fractracker.org.