Olive to vote on fracking ban

The Ulster County town of Olive is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a ban on gas drilling and petroleum extraction within town borders. A hearing on the proposed local law was held on Monday, February 11. 

In May of 2012, the Olive town board passed a one-year moratorium on gas drilling. The current law will replace the moratorium with a permanent ban. 

The new local law -- embedded below -- contains a few key differences from the town's 2012 moratorium. No longer included is a waiver that would allow gas companies to apply directly to the town board for an exemption from the law. Also, unlike the moratorium, the new law does not include language specifically banning the transport of fracking waste on roads within the town. 

The vote will be taken at the town's regular board meeting, 7:30pm at the town hall on Bostock Road in Shokan.

Olive Local Law 1 of 2013 Creating Chapter 155 45 Natural Gas Exploration by