Delaware River Basin Commission Takes Historic Action to Ban Fracking in the Delaware River Watershed

HARRISBURG, PA [February 25, 2021] Today the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) passed a historic resolution banning high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Delaware River Watershed. The Commission, made up of the governors of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and the federal representative for the Biden Administration from the Army Corps of Engineers, also passed a resolution outlining plans to develop regulations banning the export of water from the Basin for fracking activities, and banning the importation of fracking wastewater for treatment or disposal in the watershed.   

Joseph Minott, Clean Air Council’s Executive Director and Chief Counsel, issued the following statement: 

“Clean Air Council is thrilled that the DRBC listened to the public and banned fracking in the Delaware River Watershed once and for all. We welcome DRBC’s next steps to complete its fracking ban by prohibiting water withdrawals needed for fracking as well as the disposal of toxic fracking wastewater in the watershed. We encourage other basin commissions to look at this as a model.”