In Support of a Moratorium: Unprecedented Public Opposition to Fracking in the Delaware River Basin

How organized is the anti-fracking movement getting? Well, this week, activists delivered 30,000 public comments to regulators, all in opposition to the controversial natural-gas extraction process. The unprecedented display of anti-fracking resolve comes as the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) considers extending its watershed-wide drilling moratorium – not bad for an issue that was virtually absent from the national agenda only months ago. The Associated Press is calling the unexpectedly high volume of public comments “a record” and said the feedback comes “...from residents of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware who oppose 'fracking,' a technique in which water, sand and toxic chemicals are injected to break up shale and release natural gas.” As is the case in other areas of the country where locals realize that the federal government – in its regulatory recklessness – has given the fracking industry free reign, the DRBC imposed a moratorium on drilling in its part of the massive Marcellus Shale formation. The idea was to buy enough time to consider environmental issues and draft permanent regulations. The AP story also notes that two enviro groups have sued to stop work on exploratory wells that were allowed to proceed despite the moratorium. That suit is ...