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September 25, 2014

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo


New York State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo,

As the New Yorkers Against Fracking coalition, consisting of several hundred civic and public interest
organizations and thousands of everyday New Yorkers from across our state, we write to formally invite
you to take a tour of drilling and fracking sites in Pennsylvania, where the practice has harmed residents
and communities.

On September 9, you agreed to take a tour of fracking sites in Pennsylvania, in response to an inquiry
from a member of our coalition, Eric Weltman, outside your poll site in Mt. Kisco.

As it happens, he had just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania, where a bus full of New Yorkers saw the
devastation caused by fracking and heard the stories of those who are living with fracking every day. New
Yorkers Against Fracking has organized many such tours for faith leaders, elected officials and ordinary
citizens.

We are following up to respectfully remind you of your promise to witness first-hand, as many of us
have, the impacts of fracking on families and communities and urge you to fulfill it.

While fracking is debated here in New York, there is no question about the dangers of the practice to
those living across the border in Pennsylvania. On a recent trip, members of our coalition spoke with
several residents who have lived with contaminated water, polluted air, constant truck traffic and the
myriad other problems brought by fracking. For many people, the harms of fracking are a daily reality.

This August, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection released details of 243 cases of
water contamination by drilling and fracking. This striking number reflects the fact that there are inherent
problems in this technology, as industry data and independent studies alike demonstrate, including
compromised structural integrity of well casings and cement, which no regulations can keep from
cracking and crumbling.

Water contamination is only one of the problems, however. For example, a recent study from Yale
University found that almost four in ten people living near fracking sites in Pennsylvania are experiencing
negative health impacts. Many other dangers and harms have been carefully documented in hundreds of
key findings and peer-reviewed studies, compiled and summarized in the Compendium by Concerned
Health Professionals of New York, which is available online at concernedhealthny.org/compendium/.

Governor Cuomo, as you continue to examine whether or not fracking should be allowed in New York,
we urge you to visit Pennsylvania and personally see, hear and smell what it is like to live with fracking.
As previously noted, the New Yorkers Against Fracking coalition has set up many such tours for
everyday New Yorkers, elected officials, and journalists. We would be honored to organize one for you as
well.

Thank you for your consideration of this invitation. We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.
Please direct your response to Isaac Silberman-Gorn at (607) 296-8265; isilbermangorn@gmail.com; 477
State Street, Binghamton, NY 13901.

Sincerely,

New Yorkers Against Fracking

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