Even though the public hearings on hydrofracking are over, there's still a way to make your opinion known. A group of area students and local officials against fracking met at Vassar College to do just that. Our John Wagner has the story.

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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- New York residents now have until January 11th to tell the state if they'd like to see hydrofracking in their community. Vassar College and Arlington High School students joined Monday in person and online to say no to the plan for controversial gas drilling.

"Our country is based on the notion that our voices will be heard and I think this is a great medium to do that," said Will Lefferts, a Vassar College student and member of the "Vassar Greens" student environmental organization.

Every comment mailed in or posted on the Department of Environmental Conservation website must be read by state officials before a decision is made.

"While it will create a few new jobs, those are going to be really short term, they're going to be transient, and it can cause long lasting environmental damage that's going to be hurting us decades down the line," said Lefferts.

"It's ridiculous that people in New York City and Syracuse are being protected, while the rest of us aren't," said Joel Tyner, a Democratic Dutchess County legislator. "There's actually frackable Utica shale here in Dutchess County in Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park, Red Hook and Rhinebeck."

While drilling proponents say it could bring in billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs over the next 20 to 30 years, critics say we don't know enough yet about water pollution and what it could mean for tourism or agriculture.

"If their water supplies are contaminated they're pretty much done," said Laura Smith, another Vassar student in the Vassar Greens. "They can't sell their products, they can't grow crops, so this is going to be devastating to them."

"Although I prefer just not to have it at all, I feel that they should do more studies on it and create very strict regulations if we come to a place where we have to hydrofrack," said Rachel Erlebacher, a senior at Arlington High School.

Recent polls show New Yorkers are generally split on the issue and folks at the meeting hope a strong showing could sway the issue and Governor Andrew Cuomo's plans as well.

"[Commenting online] is basically a vote against fracking," said Clary Franko, a member of the grassroots organization FrackAction. "For Governor Cuomo, it's showing that there will be huge political ramifications if he allows it to move forward."

You can mail in a comment to:

Attn: DSGEIS Comments
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-6510.

Please include the name, address and affiliation (if any) of the commenter.

Or you can fill out the online form at the DEC website:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html