Amidst reports that New York State might green light hydraulic fracturing this year, the Buffalo Common Council passed a resolution on March 6th to support S4220 and A7218, bills that would prohibit fracking and wastewater treatment in New York.

The resolution states that fracking’s negative impacts could affect Buffalo and other Great Lakes communities.

The Common Council also urged Governor Cuomo not to move forward with plans to open New York to fracking, explaining that regulation cannot protect against mistakes, some of which have recently come to light through EPA investigations in Pennsylvania and Wyoming:

“It is important that Buffalo sends a clear message to the State that we are unified in our request to pass a ban on hydrofracking in New York,” said Councilmember David Rivera. “We took action to ban hydrofracking in Buffalo and we now want the State to follow suit.”

Read the Buffalo Common Council Letter to Governor Cuomo

On Monday March 5th, the Niagara Falls Common Council passed a resolution similar to Buffalo’s supporting a statewide ban on fracking in a message to Governor Cuomo. The Council also passed legislation to prohibit fracking and fracking waste from entering the city. This action puts the City at odds with the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Authority, which has been investigating processing billions of gallons of frack waste in Niagara Falls. This legislation makes Niagara Falls the latest municipality to pass local legislation protecting their residents.