Albany, NY — Today, the New York State Senate Environmental Conservation committee voted to pass the CO2 Fracking Ban (A8866/S8357) out of committee. The bill, introduced late last month by Assemblymember Anna Kelles and Senator Lea Webb, now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. The bill is also awaiting an Assembly floor vote, after passing Assembly’s environment committee 21-8 on February 13.

Food & Water Watch Northeast Region Director Alex Beauchamp issued the following statement:

“New York’s fracking ban is here to stay. As dirty energy profiteers come knocking, we applaud the legislature’s swift response to slam the door shut on exploratory fossil fuel extraction in the Southern Tier. Now, New Yorkers look to legislative leaders and Governor Hochul to pass this crucial bill and sign it into law.”

More than 90 organizations support a ban on CO2 fracking, to safeguard public health, safety, clean water and the climate. The push to ban CO2 fracking comes in the face of a dangerous proposal by a newly formed company, Southern Tier Solutions, to open hundreds of thousands of acres of the Southern Tier to fracking, and construct nearly a dozen new gas plants and pipelines.