WILL RICHARD HANNA REALLY SAY NO TO HYDRO-FRACKING?

Utica, NY – Following a call by the Arcuri for Congress campaign last week regarding Richard Hanna’s comments on drilling that Hanna failed to clarify, the Arcuri camp today highlighted Hanna’s 2008 personal financial disclosure report (Hanna has not filed a 2009 report with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, which is mandated by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978) that includes a significant portion of energy company stocks and paints a dramatically different picture than comments made by Hanna in recent weeks.

Natural gas drilling and the process known as “hydro-fracking” are high-profile issues in Upstate New York. Mr. Hanna owns as much as $1.5 million of stock in three of the largest companies in the
Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling play. Hanna’s 2008 financial disclosure filings show 5,200 shares in Anadarko valued as high as $500,000; 10,000 shares in Chesapeake Energy, valued as much as $1
million; and 1,800 shares in Hess, Inc., valued as much as $250,000.

Hanna is being paid significant dividends from all three companies and stands to make even more money if hydro-fracking is approved in New
York State. Anadarko is the same company that was forced to testify before a Senate Committee July 22, 2010, for their role and liability
in the Gulf oil spill. [Richard Hanna Personal Financial Disclosure form, 2008]

“Clearly Hanna is pro-drilling in the Marcellus shale in New York State – he’s heavily invested in it and stands to benefit financially
through further development,” said Jeff Johnston, Communications Director for Arcuri for Congress.

During the 2008 campaign, Hanna was intensely critical of drilling moratoriums in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska saying “it is urgent that
we fast track the use of new energy sources.” [Utica Observer Dispatch, 6/15/2008]

Yet after the BP spill in the Gulf this year Hanna did an about face,

“It is agonizingly clear that neither the government nor Big Oil was prepared for the eventuality of the disaster in the Gulf. The lack of
government oversight and BP's mismanagement are glaring evidence of our long overdue need to develop a national energy policy that moves
us toward sustainable resources.” [Auburn Citizen, 7/20/10]

“The voters deserve a clarification from Richard Hanna on where he stands on hydro-fracking and what his position is on drilling,”
Johnston continued. “How long does Richard Hanna think he can keep this up? Voters deserve more than Washington style spin – they
deserve straight answers, and Hanna has yet to provide any.”

Congressman Arcuri has not budged on the issue of “hydro-fracking” since taking office and has become increasingly aggressive in
protecting the region’s key resource – water. Last week he received applause from dozens of national environmental and sportsmen groups
for successfully amending a provision in the 2005 Energy Bill that would remove a “sweetheart deal” exemption given to oil and gas
companies like BP. The amendment, which aims to protect surface water from chemical contamination during construction of onshore drilling
sites, was successfully offered and passed with bipartisan support.

“This is too critical of an issue to have doubts or to take chances,” added Johnston. “Congressman Arcuri has never wavered in his stance
for safe drilling that puts the quality of our water supply first, and frankly, he has no conflicts of interest tugging at his checkbook.”