Gov. Andrew Cuomo is being pressured by “radicals” and “extremists” to not commit to high-volume hydrofracking in parts of the upstate region, Republican Senate candidate Wendy Long told Fred Dicker on his Talk-1300 radio show this morning.

“I think he is getting undue pressure,” Long told Dicker. “It must be pretty lonely trying to do the right thing for New York.”

The Cuomo administration is moving forward with a health-mpact study of the controversial natural-gas extraction process after environmental groups called for an “independent” study that the governor rejected.

And while Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens hinted at a possible do over on the rule-making process for fracking, Cuomo says there’s “no step back.”

Still, it’s a back-and-forth that has upset the energy industry and supporters of hydrofracking who see renewed uncertainty as to whether the sate will allow permitting on fracking.

“It’s very disappointing to see this is not heading in the direction we want it to,” Long said.

Long says it’s her Democratic opponent, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who should be embracing the technology, but the delay “is exactly what she wants.”

Gillibrand has indicated herself that she’s not on board with the Obama administration’s support for hydrofracking, saying “I did not love that part of the speech” in this year’s State of the Union.

“It’s just one issue where my opponent is trying to hide and talk out of both sides of her month,” Long said.

Long, a judicial activist from Manhattan, has struggled to raise money and put up competitive poll numbers compared to Gillibrand. But she is getting some help in the form of a super PAC, National Horizon, which is based in Arizona.

Long’s embrace of hydrofracking could give her more headlines in a race that’s receiving scant coverage. But it could also allow Gillibrand to further run up the score in a Democratic state in which turnout is already expected to be huge in a presidential election year.

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