New York Weighs State Drilling Ban on Natural Gas From Shale

Companies led by Chesapeake Energy Corp. would be banned temporarily from drilling for natural gas in shale in New York under state legislation proposed because of disputes over environmental risks.

The measure would suspend drilling until May 15 in New York’s portion of the Marcellus Shale formation for further study, said Kate Sinding, senior attorney with the New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council. The drilling moratorium may come up during a special session weighing legislation to close a $9.2 billion gap in the state’s $135.6 billion budget.