New York's DEC commissioner says hydrofracking can be done safely with proper precautions. During a press conference Friday, Joseph Martens named an advisory panel, including top environmentalists, to help with the process. Nick Reisman reports.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- With proper safety and oversight, the controversial natural gas extraction process hydraulic fracturing can be done safely, DEC Commission Joe Martens said Friday as the agency unveiled its long-awaited recommendations in a 900-page report.

Martens said, "The goal of the process all along has been to identify the risks associated with high-volume fracturing, to see if they can be mitigated in a way that protects the environment and allows this activity and the economic benefits associated with it to move forward in New York. I think we've done that."

Commonly known as hydrofracking, the process uses a mixture of chemicals and water to blast through rock and extract natural gas underneath. It's being eyed for the Marcellus Shale region of the Southern Tier, where business groups say the drilling could be a boon to the jobs-starved area.

Business Council Acting President Heather Briscetti said, "We're very confident that DEC is taking a thoughtful approach. We think that if anything it's a very conservative approach and is benefitting from some of the experiences in Pennsylvania, and so we're very confident they'll be able to regulate and create a scenario were hydrofracturing can be done in a safe and environmentally-sound way."

But after recent layoffs at the agency, the DEC faces questions as to whether it can provide adequate oversight and a permitting process once the hydrofraching begins.

"If we don't have additional resources, I would say, yes, it could create a backlog in permits," Martens said.

Among the proposals: drillers are required to release some ingredients in the chemicals used in hydrofracking. In addition, no drilling can be performed on state property or near private wells. And high-volume fracking would be banned near the Syracuse and New York City watersheds.

"That's the Department of Environmental Conservation acknowledging there are some serious, serious risks to this process and that perhaps it isn't safe," said Katherine Nadeau of Environmental Advocates of New York. "And if that's the case then the department really needs to step up and determine how they're going to guarantee safety for citizens statewide, and really the burden of proof that this is safe is on the drillers."

The state created an advisory panel composed of lawmakers, environmentalists and business leaders while a 60-day public comment period on the proposed guidelines begins this summer. Martens stressed no permits would be granted until the review period and final report is completed, a process expected to go through the end of the year.