As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) prepares to lift a ban that would re-open the Empire State to the controversial natural gas drilling process known as "fracking," one upstate city is taking a unique approach to protecting its residents from the dangers posed by one of the fastest-growing sectors of the energy industry. The City Council in Auburn – located 20 miles west of Syracuse in the heart of the gas-rich Marcellus Shale region – is considering a resolution that would prohibit the city's wastewater treatment plant from accepting any "water produced as a by-product from natural gas drilling." So why is that a big deal for fracking communities like Auburn? It's all about how to dispose of billions of gallons of toxic, radioactive wastewater. The fracking process involves injecting massive volumes of water – mixed with sand and a witch's brew of toxic chemicals – deep into the ground to break up rock formations (i.e., shale) and release natural gas. That flood of water eventually returns to the earth's surface as a waste stream and must be disposed of by drilling companies. But where, if not local treatment plants? New York Times reporter Ian Urbina offers some additional context: With hydrofracking, ...
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