WEST TRENTON – The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) today adopted a resolution directing the executive director to prepare and publish for public comment by Nov. 30, 2017 a revised set of draft regulations to address natural gas development activities within the Delaware River Basin. The vote was 3 to 1 with the federal government voting ‘no’ and New Jersey abstaining at Wednesday’s meeting in Bucks County PA.
New York adopted a fracking ban in 2015. There are court challenges.
The resolution is procedural and initiates a new phase in the rulemaking process.
The revised draft rules to be published on a later date would include prohibitions related to the production of natural gas utilizing horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) within the Delaware River Basin. The revised draft regulations would also include provisions for ensuring the safe and protective storage, treatment, disposal or discharge of hydraulic fracturing-related wastewater where permitted and provide for the regulation of inter-basin transfers of water and wastewater for purposes of natural gas development where permitted. According to the proposed resolution, the commissioners are directing that the revised draft rules be issued for public comment no later than Nov. 30.
The public input process on the revised draft regulations will include one or more hearings and ample opportunity for written comments. No action on the revised draft rules will be taken by the commission until the public comment process is completed.
The commissioners will consider changes to the revised draft regulations that may be appropriate based on the comments received.
The DRBC oversees the Delaware River Watershed, in four states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
