A state judge dismissed two lawsuits looking to force Governor Andrew Cuomo and his administration to make a decision on whether to authorize hydraulic fracturing in New York. Acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough threw out the lawsuits after ruling that a group of upstate landowners and a bankruptcy trustee for an oil-and-gas company lack any authority to bring about the legal challenge. McDonough ruled that neither the landowners’ group, the Binghamton-based Joint Landowners Coalition of New York, or the trustee have suffered any environmental harm. Both groups have accused Governor Cuomo and his administration of acting based on politics instead of science as they delay a ruling on drilling. The state’s review of fracking was launched six years ago and no timeline has been set for when a ruling will be made.
