Governor plans to vote no against fracking technique

In a letter to the Delaware River Basin Commission regarding natural gas development regulations, Gov. Jack Markell wrote of his plans to vote “no” on Nov. 17 on regulations permitting hydraulic fracturing – or “fracking,” as it is also known – in the Delaware River Basin.

The Delaware River Basin Commission was scheduled to vote on the revised draft Natural Gas Development Regulations on Monday, Nov. 21.That vote has since been delayed.

Markell stated that, while he does believe “our nation can pursue the promise of this important domestic energy source without compromising the quality of our water supply, doing so in this case requires a thoughtful regulatory balance and coordination between several states, the federal government and the Commission.”

He stated that he does not believe that the regulatory balance or coordination has been demonstrated.

“That is why,” he wrote, “after careful and deliberate consideration, Delaware will vote no on the adoption of the Commission’s draft regulations at this time.”

“As a downstream state that could be adversely affected by poorly crafted and/or executed regulations, Delaware is focused on protecting the water quality throughout the Delaware River Basin.

“While this watershed only covers a small portion of the Marcellus Shale, it serves as the primary water supply source for at least two-thirds of Delaware’s citizens. For this reason, we have worked to ensure the Commission’s regulations strike an appropriate balance between potential economic development and responsible stewardship of our precious natural resources.”

According to fracktrack.org, in the United States, the Marcellus Shale, an area prime for natural gas drilling, runs across New York, in northern and western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, through western Maryland, and throughout most of West Virginia, extending across the state line there into extreme western Virginia. The Marcellus bedrock in eastern Pennsylvania extends across the Delaware River into extreme western New Jersey.

The governor explained that “one only has to look at the prior experience in Pennsylvania to determine that the Commission should not adopt regulations without fully addressing critical issues regarding well construction and operation. After Range Resources announced it had discovered a large gas field in southwestern Pennsylvania in late 2007, businesses big and small inundated small towns in Pennsylvania, seeking permits to drill in the Marcellus Shale.”

“In its final report, the Governor’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission noted several high profile incidents that underscore the potential impacts on ground and surface water caused by irresponsible hydro-fracturing. As a result of its comprehensive and thoughtful review, the Commission offered 43 separate recommendations in July 2011 on how to better protect the public health and environment in Pennsylvania, many of which are not yet adopted by law, regulation or policy.”

Many of the downsides of fracking, including the incidents in Pennsylvania and other areas, are documented in Josh Fox’s film “Gasland.”

Fox documented Pennsylvania residents putting lighters to their tap water, only to have it erupt in flames, among other “exposés” in a film that has garnered much attention on the subject, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary 2011, an Emmy win for Best Non-Fiction directing, four other Emmy nominations and scores of other accolades.

The governor continued, “By far, the single most important issue for a downstream state like Delaware is whether the wells are being drilled, constructed and operated in a manner that adequately protects our public and private water supplies.”

He stated that his current position does not mean the state will “refuse to move forward under any circumstances.”

“In fact, I agree with [Pennsylvania] Gov. [Thomas] Corbett that the decision-makers at all levels of government with respect to hydro-fracturing should be guided by science, not emotion or desire for profit,” he wrote.

He closed by saying that the decision to allow hydro-fracturing in the Delaware River Basin is a decision that will affect multiple generations of Delawareans.

“Once hydro-fracturing begins in the basin, the proverbial ‘faucet’ cannot be turned off, with any damage to our freshwater supplies likely requiring generations of effort to clean up. In this case, it is more important to get it right than to be fast.”

“Until we have confidence that the Commission’s Natural Gas Development Regulations, coupled with the state and local regulations upon which they rely, are adequately protective of this water supply, I have a duty to current and future generations of Delawareans to vote no.”

In addition to Markell, the commission is made up of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey; Corbett of Pennsylvania; Gov. Andrew P. Cuomo of New York; and Col. Christopher J. Larsen, representing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The letter in its entirety can be found online at www.Delaware.gov. For more information on the documentary, visit gaslandthemovie.com.