New York County Legislators Target Fracking Ban
Democrats in the Monroe County Legislature are seeking to permanently ban fracking on county-owned land. If they succeed, Monroe County would join 13 other counties in New York that have enacted similar fracking bans on county land. However, the Democrats have not introduced proposed legislation, and they hope to work with Republicans, who hold a 19 – 10 majority in the Legislature, on developing specific legislative language. Several municipalities in Monroe County, including the towns of Brighton, Rush, Perinton, Mendon, Penfield and the City of Rochester, have banned fracking within their borders. New York’s highest court is currently considering whether to accept a request to review recent state appeals court decisions that upheld local laws banning gas drilling.