"ALBANY, N.Y. -- State regulators claim a strong record of oil and gas drilling oversight, but their own reports reveal thousands of unplugged abandoned wells and other industrial problems that could pose a threat to groundwater, wetlands, air quality and public safety."
"Annual reports and incident reports prepared by Department of Environmental Conservation staff and reviewed by The Associated Press run counter to the agency's long-stated assertion that the types of problems reported in other states have been prevented in New York by strong regulations.
The review comes as New York officials prepare to issue a decision on whether to allow hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a lucrative method of extracting natural gas that has raised environmental concerns."
Mary Esch reports for the Associated Press September 26, 2012.
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