
Last night, Governor Jack Markell of Delaware announced that
he will vote against the regulations on hydraulic fracturing proposed by the
Delaware River Basin Commission, the approval of which would open the gates for
the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin.
The
news was met with cheers from outdoor
recreationists and conservationists across the four-state region, and resulted
in the cancelation of the DRBC’s November 21
st meeting at which the
agency would have voted on the proposed rules.
Delaware joins New York in its opposition to the regulations.
AMC has over 100,000 members, supporters, and advocates who reside
largely in the Northeast, for whom the protection of the
Delaware River is of great importance. This
cherished natural resource provides drinking water for over 15 million people, and
its outstanding recreational opportunities draw more annual visitors than
either Yellowstone or Yosemite National Park.
Development of natural gas poses numerous risks to the region, including
forest fragmentation and increases in air and water pollution. Further research is needed to understand the full
extent of those risks. Markell’s statement
that “in this case, it is more important to get it right, than to be fast” echoes
the tens of thousands of comments urging the DRBC to complete a federally-mandated
Environmental Impact Study before considering the approval of fracking in the
river basin.
AMC is working to protect our wilderness from the risks
associated with natural gas development and to preserve it for future
generations to come.
To learn more about
our policy on natural gas, please visit our new natural gas website
here.
Labels: landcons, watercons