U.S. city of Buffalo bans hydraulic fracturing

NEW YORK, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. city of Buffalo banned
the natural gas drilling technique of hydraulic fracturing on
Tuesday in a largely symbolic vote that fuels debate over the
potential harm to groundwater from mining an abundant energy
source.

The city council voted 9-0 to prohibit natural gas
extraction including the process known as "fracking" in which
chemicals, sand and water are blasted deep into the earth to
fracture shale formations and allow gas to escape.

The ordinance also bans storing, transferring, treating or
disposing of fracking waste within the city.

No such drilling projects had been planned in Buffalo,
located in New York state, though city officials were concerned
that fracking waste water from nearby operations was reaching
the city sewer system.

Backers of the measure hope it will help build pressure
against fracking, which environmentalists say endangers
groundwater as a result of leaking chemicals.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has enacted a similar ban.

Industry supporters say fracking is proven to be safe and
can provide a much-needed domestic energy source. For an index
of shale gas companies, double-click on TRSHALEGAS.

The Marcellus shale formation underlies much of
Pennsylvania and parts of surrounding states including western
New York. Geologists estimate it could meet U.S. natural gas
demand for 20 years or more.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is studying the
impact of fracking and on Tuesday submitted a draft of its
study to the agency's Science Advisory Board for review.

Initial findings from the study are expected to be made
public by the end of 2012.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Dale Hudson)