New York Senate Democrats seek statewide ban on fracking waste

AP

ALBANY >> Shipping hydraulic fracturing waste products into the state for treatment or disposal would be banned under legislation introduced Tuesday by Democrats in the state Senate.

The four bills released by the minority conference Tuesday would also ban the waste from being used to melt ice off roads and bar treatment facilities and landfills from accepting the byproduct.

Fracking involves injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure to extract oil and gas from rock formations.

While the state has a moratorium on fracking until a review by the health department is complete, it has not stopped the waste byproduct from being disposed of in landfills. Critics say that could be a problem because the liquid potentially contains contaminants and radioactive material.

http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20140513/new-york-senate-democrats-seek-statewide-ban-on-fracking-waste