Coalition delivers 64K signatures to five-member commission tasked with protecting source of drinking water for 16 million people
Tom Johnson reports for NJ Spotlight:
A coalition of environmental groups yesterday stepped up efforts to ban oil and gas drilling in the Delaware River Watershed, the source of drinking water for 16 million people in four states.
Hoping to avert the lifting of a moratorium on fracking, the technology used to drill for natural gas in the Delaware River Basin, the organizations began delivering to four governors and the Army Corp of Engineers petitions signed by 63,674 people calling for a permanent ban on the drilling.
The ultimate decision will be made by the five-member Delaware River Basin Commission, which initiated the ban in 2010, but is considering regulations that could allow drilling for natural gas. No regulations, however, have been proposed yet by the four-state agency.
With a new pro-business administration in Washington, D.C., environmentalists fear that its members and the Army Corps of Engineers representative could sway the four state representatives to lift the moratorium and allow drilling.
“With these petitions we are delivering more proof to the DRBC voting members that people are clamoring for a permanent ban on gas drilling and fracking in the Delaware River Watershed and they won’t be stopped until the four governors and the Army Corps vote for a ban to providing the essential protections our drinking water requires,’’ said Tracy Carluccio, deputy director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
Related:
Clean Water Trumps Fracking (Blue Jersey blog post and video)
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