Fracking review leaders met with Cuomo political aides

Jon Campbell, Wires


ALBANY – During a key period in New York's review of hydraulic fracturing, the commissioners in charge of the analysis met with two of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top political advisers, according to documents obtained by Gannett's Albany Bureau.

Twice last year, Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, then-Health Commissioner Nirav Shah and Cuomo's top aides huddled with Phil Singer and Peter Kauffmann, senior advisers to Cuomo's successful 2010 campaign who now work for the state Democratic Committee.

The two January 2013 meetings were held during a tense time in the state's fracking debate. One came as a public-comment period on proposed shale-gas drilling rules drew to a close; the other came the same day reports surfaced about an internal state analysis suggesting fracking could be done safely.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/new-york/2014/05/31/fracking-review-leaders-met-cuomo-political-aides/9822997/