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Mayor Bloomberg cuts $6M 'fracking' check
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave an environmental group $6 million on Friday to spur development of natural gas drilling regulations and safety practices.
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) was awarded the three-year grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to support its push for safer hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” practices in 14 states. The group’s work dovetails with Bloomberg’s energy and environmental interests, as he has said natural gas provides a less-polluting alternative to coal.
“Here's the truth on natural gas. The environmentalists who oppose all fracking are wrong, and the drillers who claim that regulation will kill the industry are wrong,” Bloomberg said in a statement Friday announcing the grant. “What we need to do is make sure that the gas is extracted carefully and in the right places, and that has to be done through strong, responsible regulation. And that's what our work with EDF is all about.”
Fracking is the process of injecting a high-pressure mix of chemicals, sand and water into tight rock formations to unlock natural gas. It has been linked to increased seismic activity and water contamination, and it also releases methane, a heat-trapping gas.
The support for natural gas comes as New York state is set to roll out fracking guidelines after Labor Day. Natural gas firms had complained that a maze of local ordinances and grassroots pressure has made it difficult to operate in the state.
Bloomberg, along with a veteran natural gas industry executive, wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece Friday that natural gas “reduces U.S. dependence on coal, which is one of the best things we can do to improve air quality and fight climate change.” They also said natural gas is a win for consumers and the economy.
Bloomberg has fought to reduce carbon emissions, especially those from coal-fired power plants. He has previously donated $50 million to the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, and is also the chairman of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
