Livonia Town Board Reaches Decision about Hydrofracking Moratorium
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- Written by BECKY MCKEOWN
LIVONIA — During its meeting last night, the Livonia Town Board decided to adopt a local law providing for a one-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for the entire town of Livonia.
The Board held a public hearing during the meeting so people could express their thoughts on the moratorium before the Board reached a decision. Several members of the community showed up to voice their opposition and support of the moratorium, which would hold off the process of extracting natural gas through high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, in the town for a year.
Several people at the meeting said they opposed hydrofracking because it leaks chemicals into the water, rendering the water unsafe for humans to use. Others supported the moratorium because they didn’t have enough information on the process of hydrofracking to be able to support the process.
Other attendees opposed the moratorium as it could take away land owners’ rights. Some people didn’t believe the moratorium was necessary as they didn’t think any drilling would take place in the town.
Supervisor Eric Gott voiced his opinion on the subject during the public hearing.
“As a board member, I support the moratorium,” said Gott. “I support it not because I’m for or against natural gas fracking, but because I just don’t have enough information.”
Other board members agreed with Gott and supported the adoption of the moratorium, which prevents natural gas and petroleum exploration and extraction activities, underground storage of natural gas, and disposal of natural gas or petroleum extraction, exploration and production wastes in the town during the year-long period.
The Board adopted the moratorium as Local Law Number 1 of 2011. The local law is available for review by the public at the Town Clerk’s office during regular hours, or on the “News” page at www.livoniany.org.
