BUFFALO – State Senator Antoine Thompson (D-Parts of Erie & Niagara Counties) and Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, today called on DEC Commissioner Alexander “Pete” Grannis to extend the comment period on the DEC’s proposals for managing a new form of gas drilling in New York State (see letter attached).  Thompson noted that “gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale beneath New York State opens up tremendous opportunities, but  also poses risks to the  health, welfare and pocketbook of New Yorkers if not done properly”

On Wednesday, September 30, 2009, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released an 800 page Draft  Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DSGEIS) governing potential natural gas drilling activities in the Marcellus Shale formation.  After Senator Thompson and others pressed for more time and greater public participation in the process the comment period was extended to December 31, 2009. 

Senator Thompson has again requested that Commissioner Grannis extend the comment period another 60 days, pushing the deadline back to February 28, 2010.