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The Palgrave Handbook of Managing Fossil Fuels and Energy Transitions pp 427–452Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Ban or Regulate? A Critical Juncture in New York’s Fossil Fuel Regulation

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Abstract

In this chapter I examine the political process leading up to the ban on hydraulic fracturing in New York State. I identify the early phase ending with the governor’s decision to update the state’s environmental review guidelines for permitting in 2008 as a critical juncture. In retrospect this was a near miss for the oil and gas industry. The decision changed the rules of the game to one where the opposition to hydraulic fracturing defended status quo and gave grassroot organisations time to mobilize. The case illustrates that political feasibility of restrictive supply-side climate policies, such as banning fossil fuel production, is not something we can defined with a predefined set of variables. Instead political feasibility is created through the political process. Furthermore, I note an increasing use of supply-side policy measures since the ban. This suggests that the decision to ban hydraulic fracturing also marks an acceleration of the state’s transition towards a low-carbon energy economy.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    I want to thank the interviewees for taking the time to talk to me and respond to later inquiries. I am particularly grateful to Kate Sinding who first made me interested in this political process during a conversation on renewable energy policy in the state back in 2017.

  2. 2.

    Pierson (2004) argues that institutional stability can also result from non-path-dependent causes.

  3. 3.

    Kate Sinding, Senior Attorney and Deputy Director NRDC, from 2009 to 2015 (see: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/kate-sinding) and Tom Wilber, Journalist, from November 2011 to 2015 (see: http://tomwilber.blogspot.com/).

  4. 4.

    Memo of Opposition to S8169/A10526 (2008). Signed by Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and NRDC. Later also Hudson Riverkeeper, the Wilderness Society and Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy. E-mailed directly to author from Wes Gillingham.

  5. 5.

    Spacing bill (S8169/A10526) An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to statewide spacing for oil and gas wells. E-mail directly to author from Assemblywoman Lupardo.

  6. 6.

    “Time line for Peter Applebome New York Times 2007–2011”, E-mailed directly to author from Wes Gillingham.

  7. 7.

    “Time line for Peter Applebome New York Times 2007–2011”, E-mailed directly to author from Wes Gillingham.

  8. 8.

    NRDC, one of the largest US environmental organisations, was founded in New York and its headquarters is in New York City. Interviewees describe the organisation as the most politically influential ENGO in the state.

  9. 9.

    Catskill Citizens for safe energy, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Riverkeeper, NRDC, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and Wilderness society.

  10. 10.

    Memo of Opposition to S8169/A10526 (2008). Signed by Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and NRDC. Later also Hudson Riverkeeper, the Wilderness Society and Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy. E-mailed directly to author from Wes Gillingham.

  11. 11.

    Assembly vote yes: 135 no: 7; Senate vote aye: 45, nay: 16. Spacing bill (S8169/A10526).

  12. 12.

    Approval memorandum No. 17 Chapter 376, filed with Senate Bill Number 8169-A. E-mailed directly to author from Assemblywoman Lupardo.

  13. 13.

    Letter to Governor Paterson, December 3, 2009. Signed by Advocates for Springfield, Binghamton Regional Sustainability Council, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Community Environment Defence Council, Concerned Citizens of Otego, Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earth Day New York, Earthjustice, Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project, Environmental Advocats of New York, League of Women Voters of New York, National Wildlife Federation, NRDC, New York Public Interest Research Group, New Yorkers for Sustainable Energy Solutions Statewide, Northeast Organix Farming Association of New York, NYH20 Otsego 2000, Riverkeeper, Shaleshock Citizens Action Alliance, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Sustainable Otsego, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers. E-mailed directly to author from NRDC.

  14. 14.

    Press release Catskill Mountainkeeper: NY Legislators Join Environmentalists To Tell Governor Patterson That the DSGEIS For Horizontal Gas Drilling In The Marcellus Shale Is Deeply Flawed, January 4, 2010.

  15. 15.

    “Time line for Peter Applebome New York Times 2007–2011”, E-mailed directly to author from Wes Gillingham.

  16. 16.

    For the 2007–2008 term, one bill was introduced, for 2009–2010 it was 18. See: https://nyassembly.gov.leg. Search ‘hydraulic fracturing’.

  17. 17.

    Executive order Nr 41: Requiring Further Environmental Review of High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus Shale. Signed by Governor Paterson December 13, 2010.

  18. 18.

    Ibid.

  19. 19.

    Press release DEC: DEC Commissioner appoints members to hydraulic fracturing advisory panel. July 1, 2011. E-mailed directly to author from DEC Office of Media Relations.

  20. 20.

    I have not been able to identify the other actors that supported a pilot program. However, another academic study identified two groups among both the proponents and opponents that supported permits in some regions on New York (see Heikkila et al. (2014b).

  21. 21.

    Tom Wilber’s blog (http://tomwilber.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-york-fracking-trial-balloon-quickly.html).

  22. 22.

    Press release DEC: Commissioner Martens Rejects Call for “Independent” Health Study of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Announces State Health Commissioner to Assess Health Impacts, September 30, 2012. E-mailed directly to author from DEC Office of Media Relations.

  23. 23.

    Around this time there are also debates about potentially too close ties between the mineral and resource unit within DEC and the industry. See Tom Wilber’s blog (http://tomwilber.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-decs-top-regulator-too-close-to-big.html).

  24. 24.

    Letter to Governor Cuomo October 4, 2012, Concerned health professionals NY https://concernedhealthny.org/letters-to-governor-cuomo/. Accessed March 5, 2019.

  25. 25.

    “Letter to Commissioner Shah and Martens” October 5, 2012 Signed by NRDC and Riverkeeper, “Letter to Commissioner Shah and Martens” November 21, 2012 Signed by NRDC, Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper Alliance, “Letter to Commissioner Shah and Martens” December 28, 1012 Signed by Adirondack Mountain Club, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Common Cause NY, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earthjustice, Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project, Environment New York, Environmental Advocates of New York, NRDC, Riverkeeper, Inc. Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Waterkeeper Alliance, Working Families Party. E-mailed directly to author from NRDC.

  26. 26.

    The scope of this study explores the political process at the state level. A full explanation for the mobilisation of the anti-fracking movement is out-with the scope of this chapter.

  27. 27.

    Personal e-mail with the Office of Climate Change, DEC.

  28. 28.

    In 2015 Governor Cuomo rejected the plan to build a port for liquified natural gas outside of New York City, and in 2016, DEC denied a pipeline construction company the necessary water permit needed to construct a natural gaspipeline from Pennsylvania to New York.

  29. 29.

    Assuming that we succeed in meeting global agreed climate goals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Ida Dokk Smith

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  1. School of Law, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK

    Geoffrey Wood

  2. Built Environment Asset Management (BEAM) Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK

    Keith Baker

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Smith, I.D. (2020). Ban or Regulate? A Critical Juncture in New York’s Fossil Fuel Regulation . In: Wood, G., Baker, K. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Managing Fossil Fuels and Energy Transitions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28076-5_15

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