New York Assembly Votes to Extend Fracking Moratorium to 2015

The New York State Assembly recently passed legislation to extend the moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing until May 2015, but the measure faces an uncertain future in the state Senate.  Supporters of the moratorium, which has been in place since 2008, claim that more time is needed to study the impacts of hydraulic fracturing.
New York missed the February 2013 deadline to release an environmental impact report, which would have provided guidelines for drilling regulations.  However, New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joseph Martens reportedly stated that DEC would issue permits before drafting regulations if the New York State Department of Health deemed hydraulic fracturing to be safe.