A group of people opposed to hydrofracking staged a rally outside of the state office building in Binghamton, urging State Senator Tom Libous to vote in favor of extending a fracking moratorium.
The State Assembly passed a bill last week that would lengthen the ban until June of next year. Libous was in Albany during the rally, but has previously expressed his opposition to an extension.
The protesters say more time is needed to determined the possible hazards of fracking. They say the financial benefits are not worth the risk.
The Senate would have to approve the bill and then the governor would have to sign it into law in order for it to take effect.
