Environmentalists Mark Earth Day Monday

By Karen DeWitt

Albany, New York – Environmentalists plan a belated Earth Day celebration and lobby day at the State Capitol Monday, when the legislature returns from a two and a half week break. Among other things, they want new rules for the controversial practice of natural gas extraction known as hydro fracking.

Laura Haight, with the New York Public Interest Research Group says the Earth Day activities include pressing for a measure to more closely declare waste water created by any drilling that might be permitted in New York as "hazardous waste".

"The fracking fluids that come out contain a lot of toxics," said Haight, who says those include possibly carcinogenic chemicals and radioactive substances.

The state's Department of Environmental Conservation is still reviewing the practice of hydro fracking.

Earth Day events were delayed after lawmakers gave themselves an extra week of vacation after approving the state budget back on March 31st.