Late summer wrap-up projected for DEC plan

Jon Campbell of the Pressconnects.com reports from The Business Council’s Spring Environment Conference held yesterday in Albany- “The review of a draft plan for natural gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale is being slowed by a staff shortage and may not be finished until late summer or early fall, the state Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner said Thursday.

Speaking after giving the opening remarks at an environmental conference hosted by the state Business Council, Commissioner Alexander “Pete” Grannis said workers in his agency were in the process of reviewing and responding to 13,500 comments from the general public on the draft, which must be finalized before permits to drill are granted.

“As with every agency, we are understaffed,” Grannis said. “Men and women at the DEC are putting in collectively about 50 hours a day, all told, in going through the comments and writing up the responses. I guess if you had to pick a time, I think late summer, early fall we’ll be nearing the end of the review process.”

After the plan is finalized, all of the 58 pending permits would then have to be amended to reflect the final version, Grannis said.

To read more from Campbell’s report click here.