The Daily Star's Mark Boshnack spoke to two prominent locals involved in the debate over hydrofracking -- one pro, one anti -- who both think Gov. Paterson's recent decision to axe DEC chief Pete Grannis could slow things down.
Ron Bishop, a chemistry lecturer at the State University College at Oneonta and a member of Sustainable Otsego -- which is opposed to drilling -- said it could slow down everything the DEC does for at least the next year, depending on what the next governor does with the agency.
The loss, with an already thinned-out agency, could have a major impact on the drilling and everything else the agency is involved with, he said.
"The agency has lost about 20 percent of its scientists, engineers and enforcement officers over the last few years," Director of Environmental Advocates Rob Moore said. "I think Gov. Paterson has been dismantling the agency for two years, and he's finally cut off its head."
Though the DEC has come under intense fire from environmental groups over the drilling issue, environmental advocates have been rallying around Grannis since he was fired. From the New York Times:
So a movement is under way to have Mr. Grannis reinstated. There’s no chance of that in Governor Paterson’s remaining days before the November election, administration officials said. But advocates like Rob Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York, is hopeful.
“We’ll be urging the next governor to replace Pete Grannis with Pete Grannis,” he said.
