There's a report out of the southern tier of New York that some people there want to secede from the Empire State and become part of Pennsylvania.
The researching is being conducted by a group called the Upstate New York Towns Association, which found 15 towns that would consider being a part of the Keystone State.
One key reason: the Marcellus Shale Industry.
You know the saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side?
Well, to some people living in New York State, they feel it is.
According to research done by an organization called the Upstate New York Towns Association, there are 15 towns in four counties sitting along Pennsylvania line that would consider seceding to Keystone State.
One key reason is the Marcellus Shale industry.
New York State recently put a ban on fracking, the process of injecting water and chemicals into Marcellus Shale in order to extract natural gas.
Doug McLinko, the Republican majority commissioner in Bradford County said he understands the frustration on those folks, who are sitting on untappable Marcellus Shale.
“Broome County, Tioga, they`re heartbroken, they look across the border and they see our farms prospering, standing intact, they`re not being subdivided, they see our county cut taxes, eliminated debt,” said McLinko.
Here in Towanda many of the people say the natural gas industry has been good to them.
“It`s been a benefit to a lot of people in our area so I feel they are missing out,” said Jack Coates.
Joe Gerwitz lives in Buffalo, New York but is here to work in the energy industry.
“We`re actually building a power plant here locally so yes, it`s benefit of the fracking that`s being done,” said Gerwitz. “I mean it`s just a no-brain if it`s there use it.”
Others still says with the pro`s, come the con`s.
“We`re making money now but what`s it going to do to the ground water a hundred years from now,” said Jay Cory.
“I`m glad in one sense that we do but in another sense it raised all the prices of rent and everything else on all the land,” said Aaron Vandervool.
But if people in those areas in New York State want to become Pennsylvanians, people we spoke with say come on in.
“Absolutely they want to join us here it`d be great I think for everybody,” said Coates.
“Welcome to Pennsylvania, we frack left and right here,” said Cory.
As far as the possibility of a secession, the group doing the research believes it would have to be approved by lawmakers in both states, as well as the federal government.