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Historic Victory For Nature: Fracking Outlawed by Delaware River Basin Commission

Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

The Delaware River Basin Commission has approved a permanent ban on hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells along the river, doubling down in the face of new legal challenges.

DRBC permanently bans fracking near Delaware River

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), the regulatory agency responsible for the water supply of more than 13 million people in four Northeastern states, voted last month to permanently ban natural gas drilling and fracking near a crucial waterway, asserting that gas development poses an unacceptable risk. The DRBC cited “significant immediate and long-term risks” from gas extraction, saying in a resolution that drillers have “adversely impacted surface-water and groundwater resources, including sources of drinking water, and have harmed aquatic life in some regions.” — AP

The Delaware River Basin Commission on Thursday 25 February banned hydraulic fracturing, and by extension gas drilling, in the Delaware watershed.
A view of the Delaware River from Narrowsburg, N.Y., looking at Pennsylvania. The Delaware River Basin Commission on Thursday 25 February banned hydraulic fracturing, and by extension gas drilling, in the Delaware watershed. Source: Steven M. Falk/Inquirer

watershed moment will significantly contribute to a clean energy future

Thursday 25 February. In a historic move, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) voted to ban hydraulic fracking in the region. The ban was supported by all four basin states — New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York — putting a permanent end to hydraulic fracking for natural gas along the 13,539-square-mile basin, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The vote affirms a 2010 moratorium by the DRBC, an agency that manages the water. Pressured by environmental groups, commissioners used their authority to safeguard public and environmental health and limit future pollution, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"Today’s decision is a historic watershed moment and one that will significantly contribute to a clean energy future," Patrick Grenter, associate director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign, said in a statement. "Fracking threatens the health of our people, water, climate, and communities and we’re relieved to see it outlawed in the Delaware River Basin."

Source: EcoWatch

Two lawsuits want to open the Delaware River basin to fracking, but the DRBC is resisting.
A gas drilling site in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale region. Two lawsuits want to open the Delaware River basin to fracking, but the DRBC is resisting. Source: Clem Murray/PhiladelphiaInquirer

The basin is home to diverse species such as native trout, American eels and bald eagles

Fracking for natural gas involves blasting high volumes of pressurised water and chemicals into rock formations. This has led to contaminated water wells, while wastewater spills have transmitted radioactive materials into surface and groundwater, StateImpact Pennsylvania reported. These pollutants and chemicals are linked to cancers and other health issues in humans and wildlife, NRDC reported.

If fracking were to be allowed in the Delaware River Basin, these same impacts could affect the 17 million people that rely on the basin for drinking water, putting 45,000 people who live within a mile of the planned fracking well locations at high risk for those health problems, the NRDC added. The basin is also a critical habitat for one of the most important fisheries in the country, home to diverse species such as native trout, American eels and bald eagles. 

Source: EcoWatch 

Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers, along with Damascus Township in Wayne County, also filed a separate federal legal action last month alleging that the moratorium illegally usurps state legislators’ authority to govern natural resources.
The formal ban came a month after a federal judge set an October trial date to hear a challenge from landowners to the drilling moratorium, which is now a permanent ban. Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers, along with Damascus Township in Wayne County, also filed a separate federal legal action last month alleging that the moratorium illegally usurps state legislators’ authority to govern natural resources. Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

Reactions from the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organisation, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. 

In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. See what some of their members had to say below.

Patrick Grenter, Associate Director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign, released the following statement: “Fracking threatens the health of our people, water, climate, and communities and we’re relieved to see it outlawed in the Delaware River Basin. We want to applaud governors Wolf, Murphy, Carney, and Cuomo for putting people above polluters. At a time when renewable energy sources are affordable and abundant, it makes no sense to lock ourselves into decades of dependence on dirty, dangerous fracked gas. Today’s decision is a historic watershed moment and one that will significantly contribute to a clean energy future.” Source: Flickr/Norman Zeb
“Today's historic action from the DRBC is welcome news for the millions of people who depend on the Delaware River for clean, safe drinking water, though there is still work to do to preclude all impacts from the fracking industry in the Basin. We are especially pleased with Governor Wolf's vote to keep fracking out of the Basin and we will continue to fight to ensure the rest of Pennsylvania enjoys similar protections.”
Statement by Tom Torres, Director of the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter: “Today’s historic action from the DRBC is welcome news for the millions of people who depend on the Delaware River for clean, safe drinking water, though there is still work to do to preclude all impacts from the fracking industry in the Basin. We are especially pleased with Governor Wolf’s vote to keep fracking out of the Basin and we will continue to fight to ensure the rest of Pennsylvania enjoys similar protections.” Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
“This is a big victory today in our fight to ban fracking on the Delaware River. This historic vote means that fracking can no longer take place in the Basin. This ban will protect billions of gallons of drinking water and thousands of acres of forest from fracking wells. It also means that there won’t be pipelines built to take that gas to the market, protecting even more land and water. We thank Governor Murphy and the DRBC in this first step toward a full ban. Now we need to take the next steps to get to a complete ban that includes the treatment and dumping of fracking wastewater in the River or taking water for fracking elsewhere. This will help protect public health and the Basin from more contamination.”
Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said: “This is a big victory today in our fight to ban fracking on the Delaware River. This historic vote means that fracking can no longer take place in the Basin. This ban will protect billions of gallons of drinking water and thousands of acres of forest from fracking wells. It also means that there won’t be pipelines built to take that gas to the market, protecting even more land and water. We thank Governor Murphy and the DRBC in this first step toward a full ban. Now we need to take the next steps to get to a complete ban that includes the treatment and dumping of fracking wastewater in the River or taking water for fracking elsewhere. This will help protect public health and the Basin from more contamination.” Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
“We are thrilled to see the DRBC vote to fully ban fracking in the Delaware River Basin and thank Delaware Governor Carney for his support. This is a watershed moment to protect our drinking water supplies, health, safety and communities in the Basin. The Delaware River and the Delaware Bay are critical ecosystems and we are excited they will be safeguarded from the polluting fracking industry.”
Statement by Sherri Evans-Stanton, Director, Sierra Club Delaware Chapter: “We are thrilled to see the DRBC vote to fully ban fracking in the Delaware River Basin and thank Delaware Governor Carney for his support. This is a watershed moment to protect our drinking water supplies, health, safety and communities in the Basin. The Delaware River and the Delaware Bay are critical ecosystems and we are excited they will be safeguarded from the polluting fracking industry.” Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
Roger Downs, Conservation Director for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, said: “The underlying principle of New York’s fracking ban is that the practice is too dangerous to be done safely anywhere. We applaud today’s vote to outlaw fracking in the Delaware River Basin. As a headwater state that is in part responsible for protecting this drinking water source for 17 million people, fracking has always represented a disproportionate risk that defies common sense and the science that supports effective public health policy.” Source: Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
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