American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2015 - 188

near 20-fold increase in operators' civil
penalties. In many cases, the violations
were minor paperwork infractions. Although the new administration will be
tasked with enforcing the same regulations,
I am confident lines of communication
will open and IDNR will better utilize its
discretion under the Oil and Gas Act.
The IDNR's staffing levels and resource
allocation remain a concern. Illinois'
fiscal condition continues to deteriorate.
Oil and gas development, both conventional and unconventional, can play a
meaningful role in helping Illinois out of
its perpetual budget crisis. But making
that happen will require instituting an efficient regulatory and permitting program.
I hope that Governor Rauner's business
acumen will prove an asset and once
again Illinois will encourage responsible
oil and gas development.
Looking Ahead
The HVHF issue has been a tough
three-year battle. Although most IOGA
members never will be directly involved
in the resource play, we had no choice
but to lead the fight. We fought to protect
the rights of the larger companies that
invested hundreds of millions of dollars
in southern Illinois, but we also battled
to make sure the new HVHF regulations

would not impair conventional operators.
IOGA will continue to challenge regulatory overreach. We will refocus on
addressing conventional operators' concerns and needs. IDNR policies need to
support existing production and encourage
the continued development of Illinois'

Independent Oil & Gas
Association of New York
ERNEST RAMMELT
President
Chautauqua Energy Inc
Westfield, N.Y.

FROM THE PRESIDENT
As I reflect on the past several years
in New York's oil and gas industry, I am
reminded of one word: survival. That is
probably the character trait I admire most
in those individuals and companies exploring for and producing America's energy resources. But it hasn't been easy
over the past six years in New York as
we still await a final supplemental generic

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188 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

environmental impact statement from the
Department of Environmental Conservation and a Department of Health review
of previously conducted studies on the
safety of high-volume hydraulic fracturing,
while we also wait for Governor Andrew
Cuomo to make up his mind on whether
to allow this much-needed activity in our
state.
Now that the elections are behind us
and we have the same indecisive leader
that we have had for the past four years,
I am left wondering what is next. In
many ways, the pre- and post-election
circumstances are the same, but in some
ways they differ. The same "anti" pressure
is in place as it was before the election,
the same influence from high-ranking
friends and family members, the same
cast of "anti" characters, same public
opinion poll numbers, same ability for
towns to exercise home rule, etc.
But with the election season over, that
campaign dynamic is eliminated and a
politician can now touch hot-button issues.
Also, the governor now must decide on
whether he will run for the White House,
and that largely depends on who else
throws a hat in that ring. While his closest
supporters, friends and even family may
have opposed his lifting of a moratorium
on unconventional completions based on
environmental "conscience," I am confident they would abandon their long-held
principles if it meant getting Cuomo to
the White House.
I am sure they would admit that this
ridiculous "anti" agenda won't play very
well on the national stage, with the rest
of the country seeing industry's contributions to our nation's energy independence and national security...and they
would reluctantly, but fully, support him

American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2015

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