Communities across the state better protected from the dangerous practice of fracking with new law
ALBANY, NEW YORK. A new highly significant climate law, signed by Governor Hochul late in December 2024, expands upon New York State’s 2014 prohibition of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, which uses millions of gallons of water and chemicals to extract natural gas.
The bill was authored by Assemblymember Anna Kelles, representing Tompkins and Cortland counties, and cosponsored by State Senator Lea Webb. The legislation, S.8357/A.8866, amends the State Environmental Conservation Law to prohibit the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) in gas or oil extraction to prevent potential negative health or environmental effects from carbon dioxide fracking in the state.
Supercritical CO2 becomes highly corrosive in the presence of the smallest amount of water and is known to cause pipeline ruptures displacing ambient oxygen as well as destabilization of the ground when used for oil and gas extraction due to soil and rock acidification and demineralization. Extracting oil and gas from rock with carbon dioxide requires injecting high-pressure carbon dioxide into the ground. The technique has been found to be associated with an elevated risk of earthquakes and groundwater pollution.
“The negative health and environmental consequences of fracking are further exacerbated by the use of a highly corrosive supercritical CO2 substance for the purposes of extraction. “I’m thankful to the Governor for signing this bill into law to expand the fracking ban and prevent the use of supercritical carbon dioxide for gas and oil extraction. It closes an important loophole and continues to protect the state against very intense polluting,” said Assemblymember Anna Kelles. “I also want to thank my bill cosponsor Senator Lea Webb and the tens of thousands of concerned citizens for helping to strengthen our states environmental protections against harmful fracking practices.”
Assemblymember Kelles introduced the bill after a Texas-based company proposed using carbon dioxide to extract oil from shale rock.
“This is a highly significant win for New York State, protecting our environment, our water, and the health of our communities from the harmful and uncertain impacts of CO2 fracking,” said Dominic Frongillo, EOPA Executive Director and Co-Founder, Fmr. Councilmember & Deputy Supervisor Caroline, New York. “Elected Officials to Protect America’s first initiative was protecting New York State from the harms of dangerous fracking, especially for the health and safety of our communities. Over 850 New York State local elected officials, working with an diverse statewide coalition, successfully urged Albany to establish the state prohibition of high-volume hydraulic fracturing and advance clean energy solutions. We went on to help establish the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which puts New York on the road to a 100 percent clean energy economy.”
New York State’s Climate Agenda:
New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. The New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors..