CLA’s positions on Gas Drilling, Development and Hamlet Extension.

CLA POSITION ON GAS DRILLING SUPPLEMENTALGENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

The Catskill Landowners Association (CLA) is concerned with landowners’ rights and their protection.

CLA views natural gas exploration and development as a right vested in land ownership. We support appropriate regulation of this activity in order to protect our water systems and the scenic beauty of the Catskill region. The new regulatory frame work as proposed in the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement provides New York State with greater ability to protect our natural resources during the implementation of the new drilling processes required to extract our deep deposits of natural gas.

But we remain concerned that New York State has insufficient financial resources to adequately supervise extensive gas drilling and ensure that our environment is protected. A fee structure for permitting gas exploration should be developed to ensure that the costs of adequate regulatory oversight are funded by the companies seeking permits. Those funds generated from drilling permit fees should be restricted to the uses required for regulatory oversight of natural gas exploration and extraction.

In addition, CLA opposes any suggested regulation that would impose a general ban on natural gas drilling on private property within the Catskills region unless the landowners receive just compensation for the loss of this property right.

CLA POSITION ON DEVELOPMENT

The Catskill Landowners Association opposes residential and resort development on ridgelines and slopes that would dramatically impair aesthetic values of the Catskills.

CLA POSITION ON HAMLET EXTENSION

The Catskill Landowners Association is concerned with landowners’ rights and their protection.

Some town supervisors have proposed to extend the territory covered by their hamlets in order to prevent further land acquisition by the City of New York (either in fee or through conservation easement) within the watershed. Arbitrary hamlet extension by town boards and supervisors, without the prior approval of all landowners affected thereby, is an assault on landowning rights that is contrary to law and equity.

The CLA views hamlet extension as a possible arbitrary abrogation of the right of landowners located in these hamlets to sell their land to any willing buyer, be it NYC or anyone else.

Consequently, CLA would encourage all town supervisors and Councils contemplating a Hamlet extension to not pass any such measure without consulting all landowners within the proposed extension and to seek the express approval of these landowners to relinquish their right to sell their property to any other bona fide acquirer, NYC included.

CLA will provide amicus brief support to landowners opposing such arbitray measure in a court of law.