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RESEARCH GROUP AT U-B IS COMING
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
GOOD EVENING. I'M DIANA
FAIRBANKS. TRUSTEES WITH THE
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK ARE
DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM U-B
TONIGHT. CRITICS ARE QUESTIONING
THE PURPOSE AND FUNDING BEHIND A
SHALE RESEARCH GROUP -- AND ITS
POSSIBLE TIES TO THE OIL AND
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY.
NEWS 4'S LOU RAGUSE IS DIGGING
UP NEW DETAILS --- LOU.
THE CONTROVERSY COMES AFTER THE
SHALE INSTITUTE RELEASED A STUDY
WRITTEN BY AUTHORS WITH TIES TO
THE OIL AND NATURAL GAS
INDUSTRY. IT RAISES THE
QUESTION... IS THE SHALE
INSTITUTE DOING LEGITIMATE
RESEARCH, OR IS IT SIMPLY USING
THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO'S
REPUTATION TO BENEFIT NATURAL
GAS COMPANIES?
THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO'S NEW
SHALE RESOURCES AND SOCIETY
INSTITUTE FOCUSES ON THE
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF
HYDROFRACKING. FRACKING IS A
GAS-DRILLING TECHNIQUE
CONSISTING OF BLASTING WATER AND
CHEMICALS DEEP INTO THE GROUND
TO RELEASE NATURAL GAS. THE
SHALE INSTITUTE'S RECENT STUDY
FINDS FRACKING TO BE MUCH SAFER
BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
INDUSTRY AND STATE OVERSIGHT.
BUT MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING
ENVIRONMENTALISTS, STUDENTS AND
FACULTY AT U-B CALL MANY PARTS
OF THE STUDY... AND THE PURPOSE
OF THE INSTITUTE... INTO
QUESTION. ACCORDING TO THEIR
ONLINE BIOS,THE STUDY'S AUTHORS
AND THE INSTITUTE'S PAID STAFF
HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE OIL AND
GAS INDUSTRY. AND PROFESSORS I
INTERVIEWED TODAY SAY U-B
INCORRECTLY PRESENTED THE STUDY
AS "PEER REVIEWED." POLITICAL
SCIENCE PROFESSOR STEVE HALPERN
SAYS THAT RAISED QUESTIONS.
((ABOUT THE SCHOLARLY INTEGRETY
AND OBJECTIVITY IN PARTICULAR OF
THE FIRST REPORT ISSUED BY THE
INSTITUTE.))
((HALPERN CO-WROTE AN OPEN
LETTER TO ADMINISTRATION SIGNED
BY 84 U-B FACULTY MEMBERS TO
MAKE PUBLIC ALL DOCUMENTS
CONCERNING THE FOUNDING AND
FUNDING OF THE SHALE
INSTITUTE.)) U-B PROVOST CHARLES
ZUKOSI SAYS THE INSTITUTE IS
PAID FOR ENTIRELY BY THE COLLEGE
OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. HE INSISTS
THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY PAID
FOR NO PART OF THE STUDY OR THE
INSTITUTE ITSELF. HALPERN SAYS,
IF THAT'S THE CASE, PROVE IT TO
THE PUBLIC.
((TWO THINGS. ONE, DISCLOSE
EVERYTHING. AND TWO, REVIEW
EXISTING POLICIES.)) THE MAIN
THING BOTHERING HALPERN AND HIS
COLLEAGUES -- U-B'S REPUATION IS
ON THE LINE. AND IF THE PUBLIC
DOESN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS AN
STUDY WAS FAIR AND OBJECTIVE,
THEN THAT REPUTATION IS DAMAGED.
((HOW IS THE PUBLIC SUPPOSED TO
TRUST ANY STUDY DONE AT UB? I
THINK THAT'S A VERY SERIOUS
QUESTION. THAT IS THE
QUESTION.))
THE LETTER FROM FACULTY HAS
APPARENTLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
THE SUNY GOVERNING BOARD MADE A
RESOLUTION ASKING U-B TO GIVE
THEM ALL THE FACTS REGARDING HOW
THE SHALE INSTITUTE WAS FORMED,
AND HOW NATURAL GAS COMPANIES