Next week, New York State is planning to release a 1,000+ page document that could guide how the controversial gas drilling technique, called fracking, will proceed in the state.

Hydraulic fracturing, fracking for short, occurs when oil and gas companies blast millions of gallons of chemically-treated water into the ground to force oil and gas from tightly-packed shale deposits.

Fracking is spreading from areas in the West, like Colorado, Wyoming and Texas, to densely populated areas of the east like, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. It’s a big deal — perhaps the single biggest environmental threat facing the communities where it’s occurring. Along with this fracking-fueled gas rush we’ve seen troubling reports of poisoned drinking water, polluted air, mysterious animal deaths, industrial disasters and explosions.

When it comes to fracking and drilling, there’s a lot of ways for things to go wrong. And yet, Governor Andrew Cuomo only plans to give the public 60 days to read through this War & Peace-length tome and make sure every precaution has been taken to protect drinking water, air, and public safety.

What happens in New York could set the standard for what happens elsewhere in the country. That’s why we need the strictest, safest regulations in place.

What can you do?

Join in a virtual rally on Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 8 pm ET. We’ve heard the Governor doesn’t check his voicemail too often, so we’ll be flooding his Facebook page and Twitter feed instead. Join us!

Learn more here.