For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Governor Phil Murphy announced his support for a full fracking ban in the Delaware River Basin and issued a letter to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) expressing his position that proposed rules should be amended to ban all fracking activity, including the import, treatment, and discharge of fracking wastewater.
“This is a great victory for protecting the Delaware River Basing and the 17 million people who get drinking water from it. The Governor has come out for a complete ban on fracking including fracking waste and taking water out the Basin. This is a real win for the environment. The people of the Delaware River Valley want to be protected from all forms of fracking, including the contaminated waste that comes from it,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Governor Murphy is standing up for the Delaware River Basin and protecting our water. It is critical that other states will follow New Jersey’s lead.”
Dumping fracking wastewater is dangerous because it contains over 600 different toxic chemicals, many of them carcinogenic. This could lead to pollution and contaminated drinking water for tens of millions of people. Having a partial ban that actually allows the dumping of fracking waste still puts the drinking water and environment of the Basin at risk.
“We are glad that Governor Murphy has clarified his position on a complete fracking ban. When he first came into office, he sent a letter to the DRBC calling for a full ban but since that time his staff has vacillated. There is overwhelming data on the damage and destruction fracking will do to our environment and our health. That is why it is important that Murphy will move forward to protect the Delaware River Basin from fracking and fracking waste,” said Tittel.
Beyond the prohibition against discharge of fracking waste, the New Jersey Sierra Club also oppose another provision in the DRBC rule, one that would allow water withdrawals from within the basin to support fracking operations outside the region.
“Governor Murphy has also come out against water withdrawals. These activities can severely impact and deplete drinking water sources in the Delaware River Basin. Companies like DuPont or Elcon will be prohibited for exporting water and have to go somewhere else. Murphy is not only protecting the Basin fracking waste but our precious water from being exported,” said Tittel.
In addition to Governor Murphy, members of the DRBC include Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York; Governor John Carney of Delaware; Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania; and Major General Jeffrey Millhorn of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division.
“New Jersey leads on banning fracking and dumping of fracking waste in the DRBC. Now we need to get other Governors to go along like New York and Delaware and stand up to that Fossil Fool in the White House. The DRBC will only need a 3/5 vote to pass the complete ban. We are glad that Governor Murphy has stepped up to protect the drinking water for tens of millions of people of the Delaware River Valley. We need now need the rest of the DRBC to approve a full fracking ban that includes no dumping of fracking waste or taking of water for fracking purposes,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.