As someone born at a time when New York State was truly the Empire State, I am saddened to see its decline especially in Upstate New York.
I have travelled a few times to upstate and each time saw depressed cities and towns that were once thriving business communities. Today, Buffalo is the third poorest city in the USA after Detroit and Cleveland. Major upstate companies have relocated to the south due to the friendly business climate they offer.
From 1980 to 2004 the number of 25-34 year olds in the 52 counties above Rockland County declined by more than 25 percent. In 13 counties including the cities of Buffalo. Syracuse and Binghamton the decline was 30 percent and in the southern tier bordering Pennsylvania the decline was 42 percent. Even on Long Island we read stories of our youth relocating to other states after they finish college.
Due to the recent discovery of gas in the Marcellus Shale we have an opportunity through the industrial process known as fracking to turn the tide of economic decline in Upstate New York. Fracking has evolved over the last 40 years and is considered a safe process.
Thirty states are now using the process of fracking for oil and gas and there economies are thriving. Fracking will also be beneficial to our state economy that is struggling to find funds for education, health programs and lower taxes.
In addition, Gas today is replacing coal that is much dirtier and oil as a source of energy. But the best reason for allowing fracking for gas is not seeing one young American die overseas for our energy economy when we have these resources readily available to us but are being blocked by an environmental lobby that is not a majority.
Most importantly, we also have a governor who has refused for over two years to make the correct decision or if he does finally approve fracking will have so many unnecessary regulations as to make fracking impractical in New York State.
Hopefully, we can learn once again be the Empire State.
Carmine Festa
Mineola
