ALBANY -- The Ithaca Journal reports this morning that the State Assembly approved a temporary moratorium on natural gas drilling as part of its special session on Monday night, Nov. 29, placing a hold on hydraulic fracturing until May 15 by augmenting a similar moratorium bill passed by the state Senate several months ago. The measure passed 93 - 43 and must now go to Gov. David Paterson for his signature before the end of December.

Locally, Republicans Pete Lopez and Marc Molinaro voted for the moratorium, and outgoing Independent Tim Gordon voted against the bill.

Because the bill was not on Paterson's agenda, the Assembly had to gavel into a "regular" session in order to take up additional items not on the discussion list of budget cutting matters, all left unresolved, that the governor had set the session to deal with.

Incoming Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he wants to wait for the Environmental Protection Agency to complete its report on the drilling method before allowing any permits to be approved. Also pending, but not expected until year's end, is a state Department of Environmental Conservation study of the controversial drilling method, which downstaters and Democrats tended to vote against, based on environmental fears for the state's water supplies, while Republicans and many other upstaters said should be given a chance for economic development reasons.

Breathe a sigh of relief, for now, but be prepared for this one to race back into the headlines come the Spring.

For the full story, click HERE.