Farm Bureau Thinks Gas Is “Harvested”

The New York Farm Bureau, in surely the most unintentionally humorous amicus curie ever filed on behalf of fracking, has argued that farmers should be able to “harvest” gas – as if it were corn. This is the premise of their brief in support of gutting local land use controls – Home Rule: That the supposed right to “harvest” gas is legally analogous to “right to farm” laws and somehow magically trumps local land use ordinances. Apart from being a rather silly misuse of the word “harvest” it is grossly misleading to farmers and is unlikely to persuade any appellate judges:

“The economic and environmental impact of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (“HVHF”) to harvest shale gas will be deeply felt by farm families and businesses.”

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