Posted 11/20/11 - The DRBC has Cancelled the 11/21/11 Meeting because NYS and Delaware have indicated that they would vote "No" at this time!!!  This is Great News, but it should now be clear that increasing vigilance will be needed if the EcoSystem that we rely on for our very lives is going to be protected from Industrial Contamination..

Posted October 9, 2011   

SAVE THE DELAWARE

by JFOX 

6 days ago

Posted September 13, 2011

Please look at the tab called "DRBC Protest! 10/21/11"

For over 3 years, we have all been fighting to protect the Delaware River Watershed from pollution from toxic gas drilling; 69,800 people filed comments with the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) during the comment period on their draft natural gas development regulations, breaking all past records of public interest. Law suits have been filed to attempt to stop the DRBC from movingahead with these inadequate regulations without the needed environmental studies to base those rules on. Delaware Riverkeeper Network is a plaintiffwith others; we’re working for an injunction. The New York Attorney General’s office filed to force the Army Corps, the federal representative to the DRBC, to follow federal environmental law.But now the DRBC has scheduled a special meeting from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on October 21, 2011 at the War Memorial in Trenton, NJ to “consider adoption of the regulations”, which would lift the current moratorium on gas drilling in the Watershed and allow drilling and fracking to start.

Posted August 31,2011

Posted August 24, 2011

Concert for Water / Carnegie Hall - November 1st, 2011The Concert for Water in the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall is a celebration of Lifes most precious resource: Water.  New York has the "Best Tasting" water in the world andit is now under attack by a massive campaign to frack for gas.  Tickets go on sale beginning September 1st.  Please look for announcements in the coming weeks with details about the celebrities, and performers who will grace to the worlds greatest stage, Carnegie Hall:  http://www.citizensforwater.org/CarnegieHallConcert.html

Tar Sands Action/ Josh Fox from JFOX on Vimeo.

Posted August 22,2011 See the tab called September 13,2011

In order to make our voices heard, we're joining with our coalition partners and generating thousands of calls into the White House on the National Day of Action to Ban Fracking — Tuesday, September 13th.

http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=6184

POSTED August 19,2011

SEPTEMBER 7th RALLY & DEMONSTRATION

Rally to Stop Dirty Gas Drilling — Protect Air, Water, Earth and Human Health

http://shalegasoutrage.org/

When: Wednesday, September 7, Noon – 2 PM (March follows until 3 PM)
Where: Center City Philadelphia, Arch St., between Broad and 13th Streets; In front of the Pennsylvania Convention Center

RSVP on Facebook

Appearing: Josh Fox, Director of the Oscar-nominated “Gasland;” Doug Shields, Pittsburgh City Council President; Al Appleton, internationally respected water systems expert;  impacted families from “shale country”;organizers fighting for the life of the Delaware River watershed, the commonwealth, the Marcellus Shale region, and the nation. Additionally lifting our spirits in such serious times will be Rev. Rhetta Morgan, West Philly comic geniusBeth Nixon,  and underground rock & hip-hop from The Band Called Fuse. More special guests will be posted here as they’re confirmed.

Why: Maximizing the sheer numbers attending this rally on September 7th will show a broad-based popular movement that will not tolerate contamination of our air, water, and earth by dirty drilling, or the corruption of our politicians by industry money. We will demand that not one more family be poisoned by fracking and shale gas extraction.

This demonstration is in response to the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s major conference in Philadelphia on Sept. 7th and 8th. CEOs from major fracking companies will be plotting to expand their poisonous operations in PA, NY, OH, MD, WV, VA, and NJ. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett and former governors Tom Ridge and Ed Rendell will be speaking in support of the industry. Dubbed “Shale Gas Insight,” this is not only a key trade show for the industry, but also a brazen expression of its political muscle.

Posted July 19,2011     

From: O'Hara, Kate <Katharine.O'Hara@drbc.state.nj.us>
Subject: Large Number of Comments on DRBC's Draft Natural Gas Development Regulations Now Viewable on DRBC Website
To: 
Date: Monday, July 11, 2011, 4:18 PM

This email is intended for those who have asked to be a part of the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) natural gas information email notification list.  If you would like to be removed from this list, please let us know.

DRBC received written comments on the draft Natural Gas Development Regulations through approximately 44,500 form letters (identical or nearly identical letters submitted by two or more commenters); petitions or sign-on letters (comments under which two or more individuals signed their names) bearing a combined total of approximately 19,500 signatures; and approximately 4,800 unique oral or written submissions.  Some 80 of the latter included single or multiple attachments.  Oral comment consisted of approximately 18 hours of testimony on the draft regulations during six hearing sessions, for which professional transcripts were created.

All of the written and oral submissions received by the Commission on the draft regulations constitute public records and are available for review.

A large number of records, including the hearing transcripts, sample form letters, petitions and multi-party sign-on letters, and comments submitted by elected officials, public agencies, businesses and private organizations, can now be viewed on-line at http://www.nj.gov/drbc/NGC/index.htm.  Unless stated otherwise (as in the case of form letters and petitions, for which each substantive component appears in these on-line files only once), all submissions that fall within the named categories are included.

DRBC staff has created an Access database which includes the following:

• all unique submissions – oral and written – from private citizens, elected officials, public agencies, businesses and private organizations
• all distinct form letters (one example of each, noting the total number of each received)
• reports and other materials included as attachments to comments

With the exception of the materials submitted as attachments, all of these items were either entered into the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment System (“PEPC”) by the commenter or scanned into PEPC by a DRBC contractor, and thus appear in the database as PEPC records rather than as Adobe pdf files.

The Access database cannot be posted on-line due to limitations on server space. However, the entire database has been loaded onto a dedicated PC placed in the library in DRBC’s West Trenton, N.J. office building. Anyone who wishes to inspect or download items from the database may schedule an appointment by emailing publicrecords@drbc.state.nj.us.

Thank you.

_________________

Katharine O'Hara

Communications Assistant

Delaware River Basin Commission

P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, N.J. 08628-0360

Phone: (609) 883-9500 ext. 205

Fax: (609) 883-9522

www.drbc.net

The Delaware River is Pennsylvania’s 2011 River of the Year!

Posted May 23rd, 2011

Posted March 23, 2011

Dr Conrad Volz, Directory of the University of Pittsburg Center for Healthy Environments and Communities March 15, 2011. Speaking at Miseracordia University.

This is a 38 minute Video that summarizes one portion of the wastewater problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWwjWFcCIgY

We need the EPA to function and we need 100 more men like Dr Volz to monitor the results..

Posted March 9,2011

This is a great way to get your personal opinion placed into the Permanent Public Record.

Please spend some time and compose a letter that will help effect a change in the public policy of the Delaware Watershed.  

Summary

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC or Commission) is proposing a new Article 7 of its Water Quality Regulations to protect the water resources of the Delaware River Basin during the construction and operation of natural gas development projects. This Article applies to all natural gas development projects involving siting, construction, or use of production, exploratory, or other wells in the basin regardless of the target geologic formation, and to water withdrawals, well pad and related activities, and wastewater disposal activities comprising part of, associated with, or serving such projects. The provisions of this Article rely on the state oil and gas regulatory programs of Pennsylvania and New York where separate administration by the Commission would result in unnecessary duplication. This Article supersedes the Executive Director Determinations issued on May 19, 2009, June 14, 2010, and July 23, 2010.

This Article implements the statutory authority that Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the federal government granted to the Commission in the Delaware River Basin Compact and supplements the Commission’s Comprehensive Plan with respect to natural gas development projects within the basin.

Instructions for Submitting Written Comments

There will be a 120-day comment period, with written comments accepted through the close of business (5 p.m.) April 15, 2011, by the following two methods:

1. Electronic submission using a web-based form (preferred method). The National Park Service (NPS) has authorized DRBC to utilize its Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) online submission system for accepting comments electronically**. Please click here to go to the PEPC web page to comment on this proposed regulation.

2. Paper submission mailed or delivered to: Commission Secretary, DRBC, P.O. Box 7360, 25 State Police Drive, West Trenton, NJ 08628. Please be sure to include the name, address, and affiliation (if any) of the commenter. Paper submissions will also be accepted at the three public hearings.

Posted 2/28/2011

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The Public DRBC Hearings were held last week.

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The public was allocated 120 seconds for each person to make a verbal statement about how we feel about the "Regulation" of a reckless, irresponsible and destructive industry that is not satisfied with being permitted to drill in most of Pennsylvania (and most of the the other States in the Union.)

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Please read the the Final report from the:

"National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling" if you need the reasons why the Oil and Gas Industry are considered "reckless, irresponsible and destructive"....

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The issue this week was the discussion about how the Delaware Watershed should be dissected and digested by the Oil and Gas industry with the legal blessing from the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Federal Government.

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To be completely be clear about this.

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There should be a total prohibition of all Natural Gas drilling in the Delaware Watershed.

Prohibition is the only way that the people and the Ecosystem of the Delaware Watershed can be adequately protected.  

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It is Wrong for the commission to discuss the new Arbitrary amounts of Industrial Waste that will be legally allowed to be be dumped into our Water supply.  

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This is exactly what is being calmly discussed with this set of Proposed regulations.

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This is Nothing less than the intentional Contamination of our Water Supply.

The water is for the most part, clean and it is drinkable at this time

It is not as clean as it could be (or as clean as it should be).

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There are Superfund sites that are leaking into the Water table already.

There are many other documented sources of contamination as well..

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The water in the Delaware Watershed should not be intentionally contaminated AT ALL.

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What is surreal about this entire situation is:

The concept of not allowing any intentional contamination of our Water supply seems to be viewed by the commission as an extreme position.

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This webpage (and many other webpages just like it), will post literally tens of thousands of words that will clearly document that drilling in the Delaware Watershed is at best a very bad idea and at worst a criminal act against the present and future inhabitants of this land.. 

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Most of these words will not be read by the people that are making the final decisions about this natural Gas drilling...  They don't seem to have the time to be careful or responsible.

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It is not clear WHY they don't have time. 

That is a question that they need to answer.

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(The Natural Gas is not going anywhere.  It will store just fine right where it is, for as long as necessary. It is clear that the Oil and Gas companies are in a hurry and the DRBC is reacting to their pressure.) 

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For the rest of us, I am sorry to say, that there will be plenty to read. 

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Here is the Basic Rational for a Total Ban on Drilling in the Entire Delaware Watershed:

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The Delaware Watershed provides unfiltered water to over 15 million people.

The Delaware Watershed is a Federally Protected Watershed because it NEEDS to be protected.

The Water supply (and the Ecosystem that supports it) is too valuable to Risk and it cannot be replaced if it is contaminated.

The Water is infinitely more valuable than the Natural Gas.

Our Water Supply is like the fabled "Goose that laid the golden egg".

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There are plenty of other places to drill with less risk.  

 A ban on all drilling in the Delaware Watershed is a reasonable, a logical and a LEGAL request.  

The DRBC has the authority to recommend that drilling not be permitted at this time and that is what they should do.

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In the future, if the rest of the Pennsylvania (and the rest of the country) is satisfied with the results of the Gas drilling that is occurring in 2010 -2020, and if the process has proven to be reliable and safe...and if there is still an overwhelming NEED...

Then this topic should be discussed and considered. But the discussion about regulating this industrial assault in the Delaware Watershed should not move forward at this time. 

The only thing that should be discussed at this time is how to ban it completely. (In the DWS).

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There will be additional postings (on this topic) on this webpage in the next 10 days..

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Posted 1/12/2011

This is a MUST READ...  Please read this, Understand that these observations are not open to debate or discussion, opinion or spin by the Marketing Departments of the Oil and Gas Industry, the Media, or the Elected Representatives that have Loyalty to the Status Quo. 

This is the Final report from the:

"National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling"

It has been thoroughly and professionally researched and it is clearly and officially stating the indisputable facts.

The next step is for the Elected officials and the Public at large to force a change in behavior immediately so that the Water Supply and the Eco System of the Earth are not additionally damaged.     Additional links are posted under the webspace "BP Horizon Final Report"  (The last webtab on this website..)

https://s3.amazonaws.com/pdf_final/OSC_Deep_Water_Summary_Recommendations_FINAL.pdf

"As a result of our investigation, we conclude:

• The explosive loss of the Macondo well could have been prevented.

• The immediate causes of the Macondo well blowout can be traced to a series of identifiable mistakes made by BP, Halliburton, and Transocean that reveal such systematic failures in risk management that they place in doubt the safety culture of the entire industry.

• Deepwater energy exploration and production, particularly at the frontiers of experience, involve risks for which neither industry nor government has been adequately prepared, but for which they can and must be prepared in the future.

• To assure human safety and environmental protection, regulatory oversight of leasing, energy exploration, and production require reforms even beyond those significant reforms already initiated since the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Fundamental reform will be needed in both the structure of those in charge of regulatory oversight and their internal decision making process to ensure their political autonomy, technical expertise, and their full consideration of environmental protection concerns.

• Because regulatory oversight alone will not be sufficient to ensure adequate safety, the oil and gas industry will need to take its own, unilateral steps to increase dramatically safety throughout the industry, including self-policing mechanisms that supplement governmental enforcement.

• The technology, laws and regulations, and practices for containing, responding to, and cleaning up spills lag behind the real risks associated with deepwater drilling into large, high-pressure reservoirs of oil and gas located far offshore and thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. Government must close the existing gap and industry must support rather than resist that effort.

• Scientific understanding of environmental conditions in sensitive environments in deep Gulf waters, along the region’s coastal habitats, and in areas proposed for more drilling, such as the Arctic, is inadequate. The same is true of the human and natural impacts of oil spills."

Please distribute this information.

There is no longer a need to debate that the Oil and Gas industry need Fundamental Regulatory and also Voluntary Changes.  It is logical and Reasonable to deduce that a Drilling moratorium should be enacted immediately until the Risk Analysis can be performed and an acceptable Risk Response Plan be created and approved.

Authorizing the creation of a comprehensive Risk Management Plan is ALWAYS the responsibility of the Upper Management of the Company that initiated the Project. It is 100% the responsibility of the Upper Management because it requires adequate funding and it is the Upper Management of any Company that creates and directs the culture of the company, the work environment and in the end, the results.

The Upper Management of BP caused this spill and History will document that it is the Upper Management of BP that will bear the responsibility for it..  All future contamination is also Morally (if not yet legally) their responsibility.  It's just that Our laws have not yet caught up to Our Reality.. 

The reckless drilling and contamination that is occurring in the Marcellus shale also must be reacted to in the same manner.

If you have doubt that this is entirely true, please feel free to read the risk Management portion of the  "Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK" that is available at the following website.          http://www.pmi.org/PMBOK-Guide-and-Standards.aspx

Safety is a commodity that can be engineered and purchased IF it is considered a requirement of the project.

It is clear that Safety and the Prevention of Environmental contamination are not considered important enough to proactively purchased by these Oil and Gas companies. 

That is what needs to change.

Responsible Drilling Alliance Launches Campaign to

Halt Further Leasing of PA State Forest Lands for Gas Drilling

Williamsport, PA, December 29, 2010

Responsible Drilling Alliance (RDA), a non-profit citizens’ group headquartered in Williamsport, is demanding a moratorium on further leasing of Pennsylvania’s state forests for gas drilling and has sponsored a web site and on-line petition for the campaign at SOSinPA.org.

According to environmental scientist, Kevin Heatley,  “The industrialization of our landscape for short term gain will impoverish our communities for generations. Given the intended distribution of well pads, pipelines, and access roads, there is no way to mitigate against the ecological footprint of this industry.”

Incoming Governor Tom Corbett, whose campaign received over $800,000 in donations from natural gas companies, has announced his intention to lift the current administration’s moratorium and resume leasing of State Forest lands.

RDA President Ralph Kisberg states, “Time is needed to carefully evaluate the experiences with current leases instead of robbing future generations of the ability to make an informed decision.”

For further information:

Responsible Drilling Alliance,  HYPERLINK "http://www.responsibledrillingalliance.org" www.responsibledrillingalliance.org

On-line petition,  HYPERLINK "http://www.SOSinPA.org" www.SOSinPA.org