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I am responding with great disappointment to a recent letter written by the President of the New York State Farm Bureau to Governor Andrew Cuomo, requesting a speedup to hydrofracking in New York as a prime method to bring new economic growth. I do understand Mr. Norton’s’ frustration with a “dead in the water” economy and a need for jobs and also that protective measures should be in place before any drilling. However, I do not agree that hydrofracking in a clean watershed that already includes a self sustaining economy is the best way to return New York to the prosperous economy that it was once upon a time.
Some politicians have also said that hydrofracking would be a fast way to rebuild a weak economy; but I am also sure that Mr. Norton is well aware that the fastest method is at times not always the best method in meeting the long term needs of the people and our priceless surrounding environment. My statement assumes that meeting long term needs are still important.
As New York’s Farm Bureau president, it would be my hope that he would develop a self sustaining renewable energy plan that would utilize our above ground resources to create a long term economic future for the state and benefit all the people for a very long time to come. Farming could well be a prime mover to accomplish that goal.
Pushing gas drilling too quickly and drilling deeply into risk-ridden territory could negate finding true long term sustainable solutions by contaminating our clean water, rich farmlands and air quality.
The Farm Bureau community rests upon a potential avenue for future energy innovation in New York. Northeast Germany moved ahead into renewable energy, created a gold rush atmosphere and created a supply of good jobs with a promise of future growth. Northeast Germany was in the country’s poor house, but by choosing to use its natural resources of sun, wind, clean water, agricultural products and its farm waste of liquid manure wisely; they have created a sustainable energy economy. Germany has become a world leader in renewable energy in a developing $211 billion world market.
Twenty percent of its energy already comes from renewable energy and its aim is to be 35 percent by 2020. Do we have a plan as aggressive and competitive as that in New York or at the federal level? An abundance of natural resources are available to us above the ground that if we purposely put our minds to the task and define a sustainable energy plan, we could as a state and as a country use our God given resources to create local jobs and spur our economy forward today.
Jack W. Wilbert
Dundee
I am responding with great disappointment to a recent letter written by the President of the New York State Farm Bureau to Governor Andrew Cuomo, requesting a speedup to hydrofracking in New York as a prime method to bring new economic growth. I do understand Mr. Norton’s’ frustration with a “dead in the water” economy and a need for jobs and also that protective measures should be in place before any drilling. However, I do not agree that hydrofracking in a clean watershed that already includes a self sustaining economy is the best way to return New York to the prosperous economy that it was once upon a time.
Some politicians have also said that hydrofracking would be a fast way to rebuild a weak economy; but I am also sure that Mr. Norton is well aware that the fastest method is at times not always the best method in meeting the long term needs of the people and our priceless surrounding environment. My statement assumes that meeting long term needs are still important.
As New York’s Farm Bureau president, it would be my hope that he would develop a self sustaining renewable energy plan that would utilize our above ground resources to create a long term economic future for the state and benefit all the people for a very long time to come. Farming could well be a prime mover to accomplish that goal.
Pushing gas drilling too quickly and drilling deeply into risk-ridden territory could negate finding true long term sustainable solutions by contaminating our clean water, rich farmlands and air quality.
The Farm Bureau community rests upon a potential avenue for future energy innovation in New York. Northeast Germany moved ahead into renewable energy, created a gold rush atmosphere and created a supply of good jobs with a promise of future growth. Northeast Germany was in the country’s poor house, but by choosing to use its natural resources of sun, wind, clean water, agricultural products and its farm waste of liquid manure wisely; they have created a sustainable energy economy. Germany has become a world leader in renewable energy in a developing $211 billion world market.
Twenty percent of its energy already comes from renewable energy and its aim is to be 35 percent by 2020. Do we have a plan as aggressive and competitive as that in New York or at the federal level? An abundance of natural resources are available to us above the ground that if we purposely put our minds to the task and define a sustainable energy plan, we could as a state and as a country use our God given resources to create local jobs and spur our economy forward today.
Jack W. Wilbert
Dundee
