Anti-Fracking Activists Protest Aqua America Pumping Station Plan
By Mark Abrams
BRYN MAWR, Pa. (CBS) -- A group of activists from central Pennsylvania descended upon the Bryn Mawr headquarters of Aqua America today, to protest the company's plans to build a pumping station to send millions of gallons of water daily to Marcellus shale operations in the Williamsport, Pa. area.
A handful of activists marched outside Aqua's headquarters on West Lancaster Avenue, claiming to represent residents of a trailer park where the pumping station is to be built.
None of the affected residents was present today, and speakers turned the rally into a plea for ending the process in Pennsylvania known as "fracking" -- drilling into the shale to extract natural gas.
Iris Marie Bloom, a spokesman for the activists, conceded that she doesn't represent the 30 or so remaining residents of the trailer park whom Aqua has asked to leave.
"I have not been there myself, physically, and I also haven't been able to examine the laws," she acknoledged to KYW Newsradio today.
Karl Kyriss of Aqua America (right) says the company is working with the Lycoming County trailer park residents, offering a $2,500 relocation settlement to each.
"We've offered the incentive as a means to encourage people to leave," he said. He says there are no plans to evict anyone.
