September 18, 2012 The Honorable Andrew Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS Capitol Building Albany,

NY 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo, We, the undersigned environmental and consumer groups, are writing to ask you to be a national leader by promoting truly clean, renewable energy solutions for New York State. We believe that you are at a critical juncture in developing the states energy policy, and Governor Cuomo, we urge you not to lift the moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF or fracking) in the state and to instead move forward with a renewable energy plan that could be a model for other states across the country. In choosing renewable energy over fracking as New Yorks path to clean, abundant energy, you will be embracing a climate policy that will set NY onto the international stage as an innovative leader. As an energy policy, natural gas, accessed by HVHF, is neither a clean, renewable energy source nor a bridge fuel to a clean energy future; it is a bridge to nowhere, which has the potential to create an environmental, health, and economic disaster for generations to come in New York State. The notion that shale gas is a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels and thus important in addressing climate change has been discredited by the facts. In February, the journal Nature reported on one of the first studies to look at methane emissions from fracking, a Colorado study led by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The study found 4 percent of gas drilled in fracking is venting directly into the atmosphere even greater than the high-end estimate of the Cornell study and twice what was reported by the industry. Methane is more than 20 times more potent that carbon dioxide in terms of climate change. Therefore, shale gas development is catalyzing climate change, not reducing it. At the same time, investment in shale gas development is stifling investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency. In May, The Guardian summarized a recent report by the International Energy Agency: A golden age of gas spurred by a tripling of shale gas from fracking and other sources of unconventional gas by 2035 will stop renewable energy in its tracks if governments do not take action. Rather than investing in dangerous shale gas extraction, New York should incentivize investment in clean energy and efficiency. This would make New York a national and international leader in the energy and energy independence of the future. The time is right, and New Yorkers across the state are ready to welcome a new era of clean energy and the job growth of sustainable, long-term jobs that would accompany it. Governor Cuomo, your energy policy should promote policies that encourage the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that do not threaten public health and the

environment. We ask you to not lift the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in New York State and instead embrace a renewable energy policy that will make us proud to be New Yorkers and continue to restore our faith and trust in State government. Sincerely, Bill McKibben, President and Co-Founder, 350.org Jill Wiener, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy Wes Gillingham, Program Director, Catskill Mountainkeeper Karen Scharff, Executive Director, Citizen Action of New York Micheal Kieschnick, President and Co-Founder, CREDO/Working Assets Tracey Carluccio, Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network Nadia Steinzor, Marcellus Shale Organizer, EARTHWORKS Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch Julia Walsh, Campaign Director and Founder, Frack Action Rebecca Weber, Executive Director, NYPIRG Kate Hudson, Watershed Program Director, Riverkeeper Roger Downs, Conservation Director, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter David Braun, President, United For Action Dan Cantor, Executive Director, Working Families Party