Drilling Firms, Landowners Cite Legislative History in Appealing N.Y. Fracking Bans

ALBANY, N.Y. - Energy firms challenging municipal zoning laws that effectively ban gas drilling operations cite newly discovered legislative documents in their effort to overturn recent court orders upholding the bans. Anschutz Exploration Corp. v. Town of Dryden, et al., No. 000902/2011 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., Tompkins Cty.); Cooperstown Holstein Corp. v. Town of Middlefield, No. 2011-0930 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., Otsego Cty.).

Plaintiffs in actions against the towns of Middlefield and Dryden, N.Y., say they have discovered evidence that, contrary to decisions reached in February by two state justices, New York legislators who approved a 1981 energy law did intend to …