Marcellus, N.Y., namesake of the Marcellus shale formation, bans fracking

WikipediaThe eponymous Marcellus shale outcropping.

The ongoing debate over hydraulic fracturing in New York focuses on the Marcellus shale, a geological formation that runs from New York through Pennsylvania to West Virginia. Energy companies are salivating at the prospect of  fracking in the state. But no matter what New York Gov. Cuomo decides on the existing fracking ban, there’s one place that no one will be able to frack: Marcellus, N.Y. — the town for which the formation is named.

From Syracuse.com:

The Marcellus town board voted unanimously Monday to ban the exploration and production of natural gas and petroleum in the town.

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By a 5-0 vote, the board passed a local law amending its zoning codes to prevent “ all exploration and production of natural gas and petroleum in the town,” Supervisor Daniel J. Ross said this morning. …

There are still a lot of unanswered environmental questions, as well as concerns about fracking’s effect on public and private water supplies, [Ross] said.

Marcellus also banned the industry based on land use. A 2002 comprehensive plan adopted by the town prohibits all heavy industry, Ross said.

This reminds me of that time Meth, Ky., cracked down on drug abuse.

Hat-tip: Ben Smith.