Editor’s Letter
Fueling economic boom or bust?
These days we face a lot of problems, some of which can seem more pronounced in New York. After three years of debate and two full rounds of hearings, New Yorkers recently weighed in on a multifaceted issue that has commanded the national and global limelight.
Far from reticent, state residents—more than 20,000 of them—expressed their concerns to New
York environmental officials in January, with the intent to halt hydraulic fracturing in the state. Also
called “fracking,” the practice involves injecting water, sand,
and chemicals underground to free gas trapped in rock.
The immediate and longterm impact of fracking operations
on public health and the environment definitely require further
assessment. The lack of documented evidence is astounding;
everyone seems to at least agree on that, if nothing else.
Dissension has seeped into subsets of the varied grassroots
anti-fracking organizations that supposedly strive for solidarity. Should the practice be banned altogether in favor of imposing strict limitations?
“No fracking way.”
Although the associated risks may seem steep, so too are the
potential consequences of inaction. That’s because the issue
hints at the very core of our country’s commitment to domestic
energy production and to our collective well being.
It is among a list of energy policies President Obama believes will propel the creation of more than half a million jobs
by 2020.
“We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years, and my administration will take every possible
action to safely develop this energy,” Obama said in his final
State of the Union address before facing the nation’s voters in November.
In addition to reinvigorating economically struggling swaths of the country, could wider adoption
help preempt the eventual relegation of the U.S. to a “second-class” industrial power? I won’t pretend
to be qualified to render a compelling answer to that question. Similar to politicians, each side of
the fracking debate has forged alliances with scientists, activists and legal experts to corroborate the
respective stances. Is fracking causing earthquakes in northeastern Ohio? Polluted drinking water in
Pennsylvania? Regardless, the current climate and deluge of protests are spurring claims and litigation, both very real issues with which claims professionals must contend. Attorneys from Nelson
Levine de Luca & Horst explore today’s fracking-related liability and coverage issues, beginning on
page 27. The next issue marks our inaugural column oriented to claims litigation management to keep
you apprised of the most pressing developments in environmental liability, subrogation, and an array
of other topics, so keep on reading!
Some are calling
the fracking
controversy ‘the
tsunami issue of
New York’ and
‘the biggest [issue]
since abolition and
women’s rights in
New York.’
Christina bramlet, editor in Chief
claims_editor@sbmedia.com
We continue the social
media discussion on page
24 with Kevin Blake’s
exploration of discovery
and privacy rights in
Pennslyvannia. Are account
passwords fair game?
Editor’s Pick
