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Read Full Report Town of Westerlo Albany County, NY Eight Mile Creek Farm and Surrounding Area, Westerlo, NY Photo courtesy of P. Schreiber Shale Gas Development Impacts and Local Zoning Options April 4, 2015 Zoning Recommendation Committee – Full Report This page left blank. Table of Contents 1.Executive Summary..........................................................................................................5 2.Introduction ......................................................................................................................8 2.1 Background and Purpose...........................................................................................8 2.2 Objectives: The Town Board Charge to the ZRC....................................................8 2.3 Scope.........................................................................................................................8 2.4 Methods.....................................................................................................................9 3.Levels of Regulatory Jurisdiction...................................................................................11 3.1 Who Regulates What?.............................................................................................11 3.2 Federal Environmental Regulation.........................................................................13 3.3 New York State Authority: OSGML, State Preemption and Municipal Home Rule .......................................................................................................................................16 3.3.1 NYSDEC Revised DSGEIS............................................................................17 3.4 Preemption Thwarted in Pennsylvania....................................................................17 3.5 Local Authority: Municipal Home Rule Law.........................................................18 4.History of Regulatory Compliance.................................................................................19 4.1 Private Drinking Water Well Contamination in PA.................................................19 4.2 SGD Industry Violations in PA...............................................................................22 4.2.1 Infrastructure Violations: Iroquois Gas Pipeline.............................................24 5.Local Government Options in NY..................................................................................26 5.1 Municipal Home Rule Law.....................................................................................26 5.2 Land Use Planning and Zoning Law .....................................................................26 5.3 Land Use Regulations and The Comprehensive Plan.............................................28 5.4 Bonding...................................................................................................................29 5.4.1 Exposure Checklist .........................................................................................29 5.5 Municipal Tools and Actions ................................................................................31 6.Regional Trends..............................................................................................................37 6.1 New York State Actions..........................................................................................37 6.1.1 2014 Department of Health Report & Ban Recommendation ........................37 6.1.2 NYS Supreme Court upholds Towns of Dryden & Middlefield Zoning Amendments.............................................................................................................38 6.1.3 Health Care Professionals call for 3-5 year ban..............................................38 6.2 Albany County Actions...........................................................................................38 6.2.1 Local Law C of 2013: Prohibiting HVHF brine on Albany County roadways and in waste water treatment plants in Albany County ...........................................38 6.2.2 Local Law D of 2014: Prohibiting the disposal of SGD/HVHF brine and waste in Albany County Solid Waste Management Facilities..................................39 6.3 Neighboring Hilltown Actions................................................................................40 6.3.1 Town of Berne.................................................................................................40 6.3.2 Town of Knox..................................................................................................40 6.3.3 Town of Rensselaerville..................................................................................40 6.4 Other Regional Actions...........................................................................................41 6.4.1 Town of Guilderland .......................................................................................41 6.4.2 Delaware County Board of Supervisors Actions.............................................41 6.4.3 Schoharie County Board of Supervisors Actions............................................42 7.Major Findings – Local Impacts.....................................................................................43 7.1 Community Character – Westerlo's Rural/Agricultural Identity.............................43 7.1.1 Industrializing Impacts to Rural/Agricultural Community Character ............45 7.1.1.1.SGD/HVHF Wells and Industrial Infrastructure Expansion....................46 7.1.1.2.Local and Interstate Pipeline Expansion ................................................47 7.1.1.3.Map of TGP/Kinder Morgan NED Pipeline Project................................49 7.1.1.4.Pipeline Fire Safety Concerns.................................................................50 7.1.1.5.Pipeline Valve Stations............................................................................52 7.1.1.6.Compressor Stations................................................................................52 7.1.1.7.Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Facilities...................................................54 7.1.1.8.LNG Safety Concerns .............................................................................55 7.1.1.9.Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Facilities..............................................56 7.1.1.10.Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Facilities.............................................56 7.1.1.11.Material Storage Yards...........................................................................56 7.2 Social Impacts.........................................................................................................57 7.3 Air Quality and Atmosphere ...................................................................................59 7.3.1 New York State Air Quality Tracking..............................................................59 7.3.2 Local Air Pollution..........................................................................................61 7.3.3 Sand Dust (Crystalline Silica) – A Respiratory Hazard .................................62 7.4 Water Resources ....................................................................................................64 7.4.1 NYSDEC Classification of Waters..................................................................64 7.4.2 Albany County Watersheds ............................................................................65 7.4.2.1.The Middle Hudson Watershed ..............................................................65 7.4.3 Bear Swamp.....................................................................................................68 7.4.4 Flood Zones.....................................................................................................69 7.5 Local Water Resources – Potential Impacts............................................................71 7.5.1 Water Contamination......................................................................................72 7.5.2 Water Extraction ............................................................................................73 7.5.3 Limits of Water Treatment...............................................................................74 7.5.4 Water Testing and Monitoring........................................................................75 7.5.4.1.A Town Water Testing Plan......................................................................76 7.5.4.2.Baseline Water Testing.............................................................................77 7.5.4.3.Ongoing Water Monitoring – A Hardship Expense for Property Owners .............................................................................................................................78 7.6 Agriculture .............................................................................................................79 7.6.1 Agriculture in Albany County .......................................................................79 7.6.1.1.Status of Agriculture in Albany County: 2002 Census ..........................79 7.6.1.2.Agricultural District #2 Map: includes Westerlo ....................................81 7.6.2 Potential Impacts of HVHF on Agriculture in Westerlo..................................82 7.6.2.1.Soil Contamination and Compaction ......................................................82 7.6.2.2.Health Effects..........................................................................................83 7.6.2.3.Water Contamination...............................................................................83
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