Cracking Down On Fracking: Vote Expected From Delaware River Basin Commission
BUCKS COUNTY, PA (CBS) - A meeting Wednesday could be the first step in officially banning natural gas drilling and "fracking" in the Delaware River Basin, but environmentalists are concerned the proposal wouldn't go far enough.
In the meeting the Delaware River Basin Commission will consider a resolution that would instruct the commission's director to come up with new regulations on natural gas development in the Delaware River basin.
The commission adopted a defacto moratorium on drilling in 2010 after push-back during consideration of drilling in the basin – which includes the Schuylkill River and provides drinking water to an estimated 15 million people.
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Adam Garber with PENNenvironment, says they would welcome a ban on fracking in the basin, but they are concerned language in the resolution that would include provisions for the storage or discharge of fracking waste-water.
"Which can often contain radon and other hazardous chemicals," he said.
The commission will not adopt any regulations at Wednesday 's meeting, but if passed the resolution would require the new rules be published by the end of November.
