New York State Legislature Bans Hazardous Waste

ALBANY – After years of deadlock, the New York State legislature today passed legislation that builds on the historic 2014 fracking ban, which was cemented into law earlier this year. The bill closes a longstanding loophole that exempted dangerous oil and gas industry waste from New York’s hazardous waste regulations. Since 2010, 600,000 tons of solid and liquid waste of liquid and solid waste from fracking operations, some of it radioactive, has been dumped in landfills in New York. The bill now heads to Governor Cuomo’s desk for his signature. 

A statement follows from Rich Schrader, New York Policy Director at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“This commonsense legislation makes clear that neither fracking nor its byproducts have any place in New York State. After years of gridlock, this gaping legal defect is finally being remedied. Closing this harmful loophole for good will protect our waterways and create a safer, healthier future for all New Yorkers.”

For more, read: NY Legislature Passes Bill to Close Fracking Waste Loophole

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​