ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson signed legislation Wednesday to permit horizontal drilling for oil and natural gas in New York while promising enforcement of environmental safeguards to protect water quality and residents' health.

Revising New York's rules for siting drilling rigs to include additional wells should lead to more efficient recovery of oil and gas while reducing unnecessary disturbance to the land, according to Paterson.

“Natural gas exploration has the potential to increase domestic supplies of natural gas, create jobs, expand the tax base and benefit the upstate economy,” Paterson said. “My administration is committed to working with the public and local governments to ensure that if the drilling goes forward, it takes place in the most environmentally responsible way possible.”

The natural gas industry has shown interest in the Marcellus Shale formation in the Southern Tier and Catskills. The state Department of Environmental Conservation has so far received three applications for gas wells in Chenango, Tioga and Chemung counties, DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said.

“This new law appropriately addresses the issue of how oil and gas wells will be spaced without compromising the environmental oversight,” Grannis said. “Let it be clear: DEC will be vigilant in ensuring environmental safeguards. Water protection will be a top priority.”

According to the governor's office, Paterson has directed the agency to update its environmental review to examine the potential impact from new horizontal drilling techniques on groundwater, surface water, wetlands, air quality, aesthetics, noise, traffic and community character and cumulative impacts.

The Natural Resources Defense Council cautioned against granting hasty drilling permits.

NRDC attorney Kate Sinding said the Paterson administration is promising the kind of review the council wanted, especially with drilling technologies that didn't exist 16 years ago, the last time the law was revised. The state should also address hazardous and solid waste disposal, regulations on where drillers obtain the millions of gallons of water they will pump into the ground to get the gas, and reporting of any chemical additives and the effects on the New York City and Delaware River watersheds.

“There are certain ecological areas we think should be off-limits - the watershed areas and the Catskill Park,” Sinding said.

Also Wednesday, Paterson signed a bill to require the state Health Department to update guidelines used by pediatricians to identify children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and refer them for services.

The developmental disabilities are typically diagnosed early and often associated with mental retardation, according to health officials. Those affected often have difficulty relating and responding to persons, events or objects, and engage in repetitive behaviors or exhibit preoccupation with narrow interests. The severity varies.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASDs affect one in every 150 children in some communities. The bill requires the Health Department to establish best practice protocols for early screening of children for ASDs by pediatric primary care providers.