NEW YORK, NY November 10, 2009 —The debate over gas drilling in the Catskills is coming to New York City. This evening, a state agency will host a public forum on plans to oversee drilling in the formation known as the Marcellus Shale. WNYC's Ilya Marritz has more.

REPORTER: The closest part of the Marcellus lies 70 miles from New York City. But Albany regulators concede it's a city issue. That's because city reservoirs and aqueducts lie within the area energy companies would like to drill.

At the meeting tonight, citizens will have the chance to talk directly with scientists and regulators from the Department of Environmental Conservation. They also can sign up to make comments on the record.

Doors open at 5:30 at Stuyvesant High School. Anti-drilling protests are planned for outside the building. For WNYC, I'm Ilya Marritz.