Source : AlterNet

New York’s Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure today at 12:17 a.m. that would postpone gas drilling in its share of the Marcellus Shale, a methane-rich rock formation that also extends under parts of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania (for more on the topic, check out AlterNet’s coverage here). Drilling has been halted until May 15, 2011.

The 48-9 decision is a result of increased attention on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial gas extraction process that involves pulverizing underground rock formations with pressurized water, sand and chemicals. Fracking, as it’s also called, has been linked to a potpourri of environmental problems across the United States — from air pollution to methane leakage to cattle deaths.

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