When the Department of Environmental Conservation put out its Unit Management Plan for the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest, it raised eyebrows in the western Finger Lakes communities that surround it. Eleven of the 250 plus pages were devoted to the "procedures for oil and gas procurement."
The possibility of drilling for natural gas, better known as hydrofracking, around the area caused residents to flock to the local public hearing on the topic in the Livingston County town of Springwater. The watershed provides the drinking water not only to nearby towns, but also the city of Rochester. The DEC says they "have no intention" of drilling in the area, but residents are still concerned. For more on the story, watch the program above.
