"A new lobbying group has formed in Albany, N.Y., to argue on behalf of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas at the state level, in what may signal the start of open support from labor unions for the controversial drilling practice."

"Clean Growth Now has 16 member organizations, including several unions, and was cobbled together with the idea that it would strike a middle ground between industry interests and environmental groups on fracturing, or fracking. Its formation comes as New Yorkers across the state continue to debate whether to allow and then regulate thousands of new wells.

The coalition is stacked with veteran Albany political professionals from groups like the Associated General Contractors of New York State, the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York Inc., the International Union of Operating Engineers, the New York State Economic Development Council and the Northeast Council of Carpenters."

Colin Sullivan reports for Greenwire November 15, 2011. [2]