STUDY: Fracking will Hurt Tourism Industry in New York’s Southern Tier
1 min readFrom pressconnects.com
Widespread Marcellus Shale drilling in the Southern Tier could substantially damage the long-term growth of the local tourism industry, according to a study released by the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning & Development Board.
Individual gas wells and drilling activity, while disruptive at the local scale, will likely have very little impact on the tourism sector, the study says. But increased traffic, air and noise pollution, industrial accidents, the decreased availability of hotel/motel rooms and seasonal lodging, disruptions to wildlife and hunting grounds, and other aspects associated with a large-scale drilling program “will change the pristine and rural character of the region to a gritty and industrial one.”
The 35-page document, funded by a $7,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant and prepared by Cornell University graduate and Ph.D. candidate Andrew Rumbach, was released to the public Wednesday. It focuses solely on Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties.
The entire study can be found by clicking here.
