Mayor Bloomberg believes teenage girls should have access to morning-after contraceptives.
Chris Christie texted Joe Scarborough to complain about liberal guests on “Morning Joe.”
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver wants Governor Cuomo to sign the taxi bill.
Potential 2013 mayoral candidate Greg Floyd took a shot at John Liu. Read More
Mayor Bloomberg partied with the press and joked about Occupy Wall Street at his annual holiday fête.
Apple swore city government officials to secrecy about its new store in Grand Central Station.
The new tax deal may mean higher fares on public transportation. Read More
Charlie Rangel said he isn’t retiring any time soon.
State Senator Liz Krueger said she has some concerns about Governor Cuomo’s new tax plan.
Occupy Wall Street protesters launched an effort to take over foreclosed homes. Read More
A group led by actor Mark Ruffalo took a bus from City Hall to Pennsylvania today to deliver water to a community they say was affected by the controversial natural gas drilling procedure called hydrofracking. Governor Cuomo and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are currently considering whether to allow hydrofracking in New York.
Mr. Ruffalo, a longtime opponent of the procedure and resident of upstate Sullivan County, told Politicker fracking contaminated the water in Dimock and he thinks it would have similar consequences here. “There’s no doubt in my mind, or most people’s minds at this point, that the way this industry has been moving forward up until now will contaminate New York State,” Mr. Ruffalo said. Read More
Movie star Mark Ruffalo isn’t State Senator Thomas Duane’s type.
The Observer overheard Senator Duane explaining why Mr. Ruffalo isn’t on his celebrity crush list outside today’s hydrofracking hearing at BMCC where both men spoke against the controversial natural gas drilling procedure. Read More
Apparently, Hydrofracking makes Hulk mad. Mark Ruffalo, who’s set to play the famous green superhero strongman in the “Avengers” movie due out next May, was among the celebrities and politicians who turned out to show their opposition to the controversial natural gas drilling technique today. Mr. Ruffalo appeared along with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, actress Debra Winger, State Senator Daniel Squadron and others at an anti-fracking press conference ahead of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s hearing to review regulations for hydrofracking, which is popular shorthand for hydraulic fracturing. Read More
During his visit to New York today, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain commented on one of the state’s most hot button issues–hydrofracking. Mr. Cain came down in favor over the controversial natural gas drilling technique, which some energy companies want to use in New York though many environmental activists and scientists say it has dangerous side effects. Read More
A new Quinnipiac poll found that New York voters largely agree with the Occupy Wall Street protesters. New York Republicans, however, do not support the movement. The poll also found New York voters support the so-called “millionaire’s tax” and are divided on natural gas drilling. Read More
On the heels of a productive session in Albany, a Siena Poll released this morning showed voters are more optimistic about state government, even as they remain divided about hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale.
A majority of voters say the recent session moved the state forward, and nearly half said the state legislature had become less dysfunctional.
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s numbers had a slight bump, from 68 percent favorability last month to 71 percent in today’s survey. Read More
New York State will reportedly lift its moratorium on hydrofracking the controversial drilling procedure environmentalists say could pollute the water supply, but advocates say is safe and could be an economic boom for the struggling upstate economy.
A spokesman for Cuomo said the report is premature and speculative.
A spokesperson for the state’s environmental agency did not immediately have a comment on lifting of the moratorium, first reported by The New York Times in a breaking news alert on their homepage.
The lifting of the moratorium by the state would be the first major position Governor Cuomo has taken on the controversial issue since taking office in January.
One environmental activist who has opposed hydrofracking is actor Mark Ruffalo, who said at a party on Tuesday “I’d like to see it banned in New York State altogether.”
Ruffalo was speaking to the Observer during a party celebrating the passage of same-sex marriage. At the event, Ruffalo said Cuomo reached out to him months ago to discuss energy issues.
“If Cuomo knew he had cover from New York City’s financial elite, for hydrofracking,” said Ruffalo, “then he would be much more bullish on the issue. He’s sort of playing the fence right now.”
Update: The state’s environmental agency will have an event tomorrow in Albany discussing the procedure for evaluating hydrofracking, which will include a lengthy period for accepting public comments. The agency has said no permits for hydrofracking will be issued until the review period is concluded.
