Jon Campbell is reporting in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle after five years, hundreds of thousands of public comments and an electorate that remains split on the divisive issue, what has amounted to a moratorium on shale-gas drilling in New York remains in place. On July 23, 2008, the state officially moved to place large-scale hydrofracking permit applications on hold, a period of time opponents of the practice say attests to their strength, and advocates say is a clear indicator of political indecision. In five years, the battle over hydrofracking has grown from a little-watched debate to one that has expanded across the state and the country. Many environmental and anti-fracking groups, citing the potential for damage to water supplies and community character, have called on the state to either ban shale-gas drilling outright, or to implement a lengthier moratorium. Proponents of tapping the gas-rich Marcellus Shale say Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is missing an opportunity to boost the Southern Tier economy, particularly in Binghamton and Elmira. Read the full story in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.