Credit: Clear Water Action New Jersey
Residents from around the area gathered at the Washington Crossing State Park on Wednesday to call upon the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) for an immediate ban on all drilling and fracking in the Delaware River Watershed.
The Delaware Riverkeeper Network noted that residents of numerous municipalities in Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, all of whom have waters that flow to the Delaware River, filled the public meeting room with signs and banners to protest their opposition to fracking.
While the DRBC has prohibited natural gas extraction projects in the basin since 2010 and enacted a de-facto moratorium, residents have asked the group to impose a permanent fracking ban.
According to officials, DRBC staff have recently raised alarm bells with signals that they may be moving to adopt regulations and lift the current moratorium.
“Given the threats facing the Delaware River, it’s time the DRBC codify what they already know — fracking is not consistent with DRBC’s mission, that’s why Governor Cuomo has banned it, that’s why DRBC put in a temporary moratorium, and that’s why DRBC should make it a permanent ban now,” said David Pringle, NJ Campaign Director of Clean Water Action.
DRBC Executive Director Steven Tambini noted early on that the meeting was to solicit public comments only and not to answer questions, according to The Burlington County Times.
The next DRBC meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. on March 15 at the Washington Crossing Visitors Center when the water resource plan and the Eastern Shore Natural Gas permit will likely be voted on.
