After months of work organizing the New York hydraulic fracturing public meetings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cancelled the Syracuse, N.Y., meeting originally scheduled Aug. 12. The agency now intends to hold a new public meeting on the study in upstate New York in September, and will announce the location as soon as it is confirmed.

EPA was forced to cancel this meeting due to concerns about the ability to complete preparations for the meeting on such short notice. Officials did not feel they could arrange the necessary security for the potential protests and rallies outside the meeting itself, and EPA respects and understands their decision.

From the beginning, EPA has been committed to ensuring that the public has an opportunity to express their opinions on the study. There are serious concerns about whether the process of hydraulic fracturing impacts drinking water, human health and the environment. To address those concerns and strengthen our clean energy future, EPA announced in March that it will study the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on drinking water and would be seeking input from people across the country. EPA has held had three successful meetings in Fort Worth, Texas, Denver and Canonsburg, Pa., where more than 1,200 participants attended, and EPA is committed to holding a similar meeting in upstate New York.