Read the original post at its source -- including links/images where applicable.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's pick to lead the Department of Environmental Conservation today hewed to the administration's line on gas drilling in the Marcellus shale today, telling a panel of state lawmakers the state needs to be cautious in its approach on the issue.

"We're looking at all of these issues and taking them as seriously as we can," said Joseph Martens, the acting DEC commissioner. "We won't undertake drilling until it can be done safely."

The controversial drilling process, known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking, uses a cocktail of water and chemicals to blast through rock and access natural gas. Some property owners and energy companies want the drilling to be approved, which is believed to be a lucrative venture.

But environmentalists and other residents believe the process is fraught with problems and could result in polluting the water table.

Martens, under questioning from Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, D-Ithaca, stuck to the line that the state should wait for the state DEC to release its study.

"I think it's fair to say they're taking every single comment seriously," he said. "It will, I'm sure taking a look again at cumulative impact. I think it will be up to the public again when we release the final draft whether or not DEC has done a good job."

Martens' prepared testimony is below.

Click link above to original article for  some video of Martens after testifying discussing, among other things, staffing at the agency and whether his stance now squares with his speech at Union College: