Your Donation Today Helps DCS in the Fight to Save the Delaware River Basin from the Threat of Fracking and Protect the Health of its Residents and the Quality of our Water and Environment, for Now and for Future Generations.

The Future of the Basin will be Decided Within the Next Year

Do we want this?

Hawk’s Nest, Delaware River

Or this?

Fracking Waste Pit, Dimock, PA

Although an informal moratorium has been in effect for seven years, the Delaware River Basin Commission has entered the final stage of drafting formal regulations deciding if, where and how there can be drilling in the Delaware River Basin. The DRBC is considering rules containing “prohibitions related to” fracking in the river basin—vaguely saying they may or may not allow drilling. In addition, the resolution implies that storage, treatment, disposal, discharge, or transportation of fracking wastewater and the withdrawal of water from the basin for natural gas development occurring elsewhere could be allowed regardless of drilling prohibitions.

THAT MEANS THE FUTURE OF THE BASIN WILL BE DECIDED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

Now more than ever, organizing and action is necessary. Those currently drafting the rules must be certain that these “prohibitions” amount to a total ban. Either way, there will be a comment period following the release of the rules to the public. During that time, professional and scientific feedback must be presented to make our view absolutely clear to the commissioners. We’ve been working for 10 years toward a ban—and will not let up now. We need your help to continue.

To make matters worse, the right of the DRBC to regulate drilling activities one way or another is under threat and must be defended. A lawsuit challenging the DRBC’s right to regulate drilling at all—which if successful would nullify any rules issued by the agency—is under appeal. DCS has filed two friend-of-the-court (amicus) briefs describing the health impacts of fracking. We have been told, off the record, that the briefs deeply impressed the lower court that dismissed the case. We must persevere throughout the appeals process to keep the DRBC’s authority intact.

These major legal initiatives must be pursued even as we continue our ongoing efforts in education, advocacy and data collection. Details are listed on page 2 of our Appeal Letter, but some highlights are:

• Our Health and Community Impacts Survey, which, for the first time, is putting on record with state and federal government agencies the negative impacts of fracking on families and community health. We are finally seeing results in the form of government visits to affected households.
• Vital input to regulatory processes, like the New York State rule-making process ensuring that toxic waste from natural gas extraction activities is properly defined and thus subject to regulatory restrictions.
• And in PA, we are blocking the use of liquid drilling waste on roads and more!

We are at a critical point in history, and DCS needs you now more than ever. Please reaffirm your investment here; consider this an emergency funding request, so that together, we can permanently preserve this vital and beloved region from the onslaught of fracking.

Download the DCS Appeal Letter as a pdf.
Download the DCS “Why We Fight” Insert as a pdf.

Note:
NY’s DRILLING BAN DOES NOT MAKE NEW YORK CITY AND STATE SAFE!
Fracking infrastructure, transport and waste disposal are dangerous and not appropriately regulated.
FRACK WASTE is being transported to and dumped in NEW YORK.

Pennsylvania’s environmental amendment will help us win the day in PA:
Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1, Section 27.
Natural Resources and the Public Estate:
The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.

The fight continues. Please help today!