Assembly Passes Legislation to Prohibit Use of Carbon Dioxide to Drill and Extract Natural Gas and Oil

Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Anna Kelles today announced the Assembly has passed legislation that would prohibit the use of carbon dioxide to extract natural gas and oil resources, a process often referred to as “fracking” (A8866, Kelles).

“Our communities are already feeling the devastating consequences of climate change,” said Speaker Heastie. “I’m pleased to support my Assembly Majority colleagues today as they work to keep New York on the path to a greener future while working to protect the health of our families.”

“There is no evidence to support the fossil fuel industry’s claim that carbon dioxide will be a safer method to extract oil and gas,” said Assemblymember Kelles. “However, there is an incredible amount of evidence that proves the dangers to our families if we allow fracking within our communities, a reason New York banned the extraction of oil and gas by fracking in 2020. I’m proud of our effort to pass this legislation today and reaffirm our commitment to the science of fracking and its impact to our health and environment. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to safeguard New York for generations to come.”

After an extensive investigation that studied the environmental impacts of fracking, New York banned high-volume hydraulic fracking, which uses a mixture of water and harmful chemicals. This bill expands the existing fracking prohibition to include the use of carbon dioxide.