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Latest News
We are a regional non-profit grassroots environmental organization working to protect the Catskills. We represent thousands of members who care about the future of the region. There is a large amount of information on our site. Here on the homepage we have breaking news and key information about our current campaigns. Use the navigation functions to find out about much more.
Aaron Bennett joins Catskill Mountainkeeper as Regional Director 
Youngsville, NY Feb 15, 2010 Catskill Mountainkeeper has hired Aaron Bennett as Regional Director for Greene, Ulster, and Delaware counties. Bennett, a life long resident of the area, was previously employed by The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development for more than 11 years, most recently as the Director of Programming, where he oversaw their education and natural resource programs. Click here for the complete press release
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January 25, 2010, Albany, N.Y. -- Hundreds of environmentalists and politicians rallied at the state Capitol Monday, calling on the DEC to abandon the Environmental Impact process for natural gas 
drilling in the state.
The protests focused on drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation. The DEC says the shale holds at least 168 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Residents fear drilling regulations aren't strong enough and could be dangerous for the environment.
"We are saying the process is flawed and they have to start over, we are not going to let them roll over us," said Ramsay Adams, Catskill Mountainkeeper Executive Director. CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO NEWS STORY
December 23, 2009: New York City "called on the DEC to rescind the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) that was released on September 30, 2009 because it does not adequately address the risks of drilling in the New York City watershed, which supplies drinking water for nine million New Yorkers." For the full story click here
Mountainkeeper Featured on NPR's On Point with Tom Ashbrook
Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM EST
Gas, Shale, and ‘Hydrofracking' read the story or
For detailed information about the dangers of gas drilling click here
CURRENT PRIORITIES
MAJOR THREAT #1 - GAS DRILLING
ACTION ALERT! 
Tell Governor Paterson No Drilling Until The DEC Can Prove It's Safe
Why It Matters to You
- Dire environmental and social problems accompany gas drilling
- Gas drilling only started a year and half ago in neighboring Pennsylvania and already there have been horrific accidents that have had disastrous effects
- In communities around the country where there has been extensive drilling there has been tremendous stress on community infrastructures; severe health problems; sharp decreases in property values and many other hazards including an incidence of earthquakes
READ ABOUT RECENT GAS DRILLING ACCIDENTS HERE
LEARN MORE ABOUT GAS DRILLING IN THE CATSKILLS HERE
MAJOR THREAT #2 - GAMBLING CASINOS
There is an aggressive federal push to get the new Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to change the rules that prohibit Native American tribes from building casinos hundreds of miles away from their reservations, opening Sullivan County to the likelihood of at least three off-reservation Atlantic City sized casinos.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN A PETITION REGISTERING YOUR OPPOSITION
Why It Matters to You
- Proposed casinos will dramatically damage the character of our region, our air quality and drinking water supply.
- Casino proposals estimate an 1800% increase in visitors a year which will overwhelm our roadways making it almost impossible to move around.
- Each casino will be a self-contained “city” and will put local businesses out of business.
- Casinos nurture compulsive gambling and will bring increased crime, prostitution, poverty and violence to our area.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CASINO GAMBLING IN THE CATSKILLS
MAJOR THREAT # 3 - LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT THAT CHANGES THE CHARACTER OF THE REGION
Major large scale developments have been proposed near Belleayre State Park Ski Center, along the Bashakill Ridge in Sullivan County as well as in Delaware,Green and Ulster Counties. These threaten the character of our region, our natural resources and our way of life.
Why It Matters to You
- If we don’t seize the opportunity to plan our growth now, we will look back in 20 years and lament the destruction of our natural beauty and heritage.
- Large scale development costs municipalities more than it brings in when it outpaces the needed infrastructure.
- The destruction to the land exposes us to excessive flooding, and toxic substances entering our water and air.
- We don’t need large scale development to grow our economy; we can do it with smart sustainable development
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CATSKILLS
NEWS AND INFORMATION
Fun Facts You Probably Didn't Know About the Catskills
VIDEO: CMK Program Director Wes Gillingham profiled in video about the Catskills
WHO ARE WE?
Catskill Mountainkeeper is a community based environmental advocacy organization, dedicated to creating a flourishing sustainable economy in the Catskills and preserving and protecting the area’s long term health. We address issues of water integrity for the Delaware and Susquehanna River Systems, the defense of the vast woodlands that encompass the Catskill Forest Preserve and the New York City Watershed as well as farmland protection. We promote “smart” development that balances the economic needs and concerns of the Catskill regions’ citizens and the protection of our abundant but exceedingly vulnerable natural resources.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE SUPPORT, WHO WE REPRESENT, AND WHAT WE DO CLICK HERE
