Opposition To Fracking In NY State Grows

This should Governor Fracker some more pause:

A new Quinnipiac poll finds statewide opposition to the controversial natural gas drilling technique known as hydrofracking growing after a year in which public opinion was basically split. The new poll finds opponents outnumbering supporters of fracking in the survey by 46-39 percent — a new low for fracking proponents and the first time a “clear margin” has opposed it, according to Quinnipiac.

Upstate voters favor moving ahead with fracking by a slim margin (44-42), while suburban voters remain split (42-42) and New York City voters oppose it 53-32 percent.

The poll is released as the state continues to wait for the completion of work on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s regulatory framework for fracking, which is in turn waiting for the Department of Health’s review of the DEC’s health-impacts chapter, which is in turn waiting for research updates from experts currently examining the effects of the process on human health and the water supply.

Cuomo would love nothing better than to give Uncle Rupert and the rest of the fracking proponents what they want, but with opposition to fracking growing, he's not able to do that without taking a serious hit to his approval rating.

That's why he's dealing in delaying tactics like this:

The poll is released as the state continues to wait for the completion of work on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s regulatory framework for fracking, which is in turn waiting for the Department of Health’s review of the DEC’s health-impacts chapter, which is in turn waiting for research updates from experts currently examining the effects of the process on human health and the water supply.

Ah yes - we're going to have a study about a study that is about another study and then we'll study the results and get back to you on it.

That's Cuomo's way of delaying the decision as long as he can.

With his poll numbers dropping (though still at a healthy 55%) and with his eye on the White House in 2016, Cuomo doesn't want to take any decisions that could drive down his ratings.

And one way or the other, a fracking decision will do just that.

But Hamlet on the Hudson cannot delay this decision forever.

Sooner or later he's going to have to stop studying the issue and take a stance.

And Uncle Rupe and the fracking proponents are not going to be happy if comes out against it.

Which will make Andy very sad, as those are the people who are going to fund his 2016 campaign.