Fracking in NY Likely Delayed by More Rulemaking

New York regulators expect to reopen their rulemaking process for shale gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing, shedding doubt on whether a 4-year-old moratorium on development will be lifted before next year.

Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Emily DeSantis said Sunday that the agency expects to miss a Nov. 29 deadline for finalizing regulations, making it necessary to reopen the process with at least one public hearing.

DeSantis said it's "undetermined" whether the overall environmental impact review could be completed and permits issued while the regulations are revisited. DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced recently that no final decision on whether to allow shale development would be made until a health impact review is completed.

While thousands of shale wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania, opposition has been intense in New York.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press