Last week, legislation introduced by progressive Upstate State Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk (D - Schenectady County) that would've banned the importation of fracking waste fluid into New York from other states (S.5123-A) was voted down by seven Republican State Senators on the chamber's 13-member Environmental Committee, in effect killing the bill and preventing the legislation from ever reaching the floor for a full vote. The seven Republican State Senators who blocked the legislation were Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), Kenneth LaValle (R - Long Island), Betty Little (R - North Country), Carl Marcellino (R - long Island), George Maziarz (R - Niagara County), Thomas O'Mara (R - Southern Tier) and Catherine Young (R - Southern Tier).
From Albany Times Union, April 29, 2014:
"Senate Republicans have squashed a bill authored by state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk that would have banned the shipment of hydrofracking waste from other states into New York for treatment or disposal."
"After Tkaczyk forced a vote on the stalled legislation in the Senate’s Environmental Conservation committee by using a parliamentary procedure known as a motion to consider, the panel’s ruling Republicans voted it down despite support from five Democrats as well as committee Vice Chair Tony Avella, now a member of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference that runs the Senate with the GOP."
"In a press release announcing the bill’s demise, Tkaczyk suggested the Republican resistance was motivated by “millions of dollars in campaign contributions from oil and gas corporations” — a suggestion to which, you will not be surprised to learn, the GOP did not take kindly."
According to
data obtained from the citizen watchdog advocacy group Common Cause, these seven senators have all received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from pro-fracking interests.
Mark Grisanti (R) has taken $61, 047.90 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
Kenneth LaValle (R) has taken $10,600.00 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
Betty Little (R) has taken $53,100.00 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
Carl Marcellino (R) has taken $12,475.00 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
George Maziarz (R) has taken $193,830.58 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
Thomas O'Mara (R) has taken $56,375.00 in contributions from pro-fracking interests
Catharine Young (R) has taken $77,545.00 in contributions from pro-fracking interests