Background: Today, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) voted to make permanent a 2010 moratorium on fracking within jurisdictional water boundaries. Commissioners representing all of the member states–Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York–voted in affirmation.
Statement of Nadia Steinzor, Earthworks Senior Policy Analyst:
“We are happy that Governor Wolf, and the Governors of all member states, have finally accepted the science supporting a fracking ban and voted to protect the precious water supplies and communities within the Delaware River watershed. We are grateful to the many advocates and residents who have fought long and hard to protect the region from the oil and gas industry.
“The same science and risks to health and the environment acknowledged by Governor Wolf apply everywhere the oil and gas industry operates, not just the river basin containing the richest and most populous metro area in the state. We hope that Governor Wolf will soon act similarly to protect all Pennsylvanians whose water, air, and quality of life is threatened, through the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and statewide.
“The Governor has an opportunity now to expand the leadership he showed with the DRBC vote by closing loopholes in his proposed rule to limit oil and gas air pollution and moving forward to realize his climate commitments by encouraging a more just, equitable clean energy future for Pennsylvania.”
