Delaware River Basin Commission Hears Testimony About PennEast Pipeline Project

At its first meeting since making the decision to exercise jurisdiction over the PennEast Pipeline Project, the Delaware River Basin Commission Commissioners Tuesday heard testimony from the public regarding anticipated impacts to the water resources of the Delaware River Watershed.

Responding to a formal petition submitted by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and hundreds of letters from individuals, the DRBC issued its jurisdictional determination on November 14, 2014 in letters sent to the PennEast Pipeline Company and to Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper.  

In the letters, DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini wrote about the PennEast pipeline: “…the project is subject to review under Section 3.8 of the Delaware River Basin Compact and implementing regulations.”

“I’m pleased DRBC is providing an opportunity for our community to voice its concerns regarding the potential impacts of several proposed pipelines.  This is an opportunity for DRBC and Pennsylvania to partner in addressing these matters going forward,” said Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery).

“Pipelines are a known and growing source of water pollution, of forest fragmentation, of wetlands degradation, of flooding, erosion, lost groundwater recharge, and damaged ecological systems.  They are also responsible for the increased taking of private and public lands through the exercise and/or threat of their eminent domain authority.  They are the big bully partners of the gas drillers. We applaud the DRBC decision to subject the project to their decisionmaking process and are going to take full advantage of every opportunity to share with the DRBC the information we have about the impacts this project would have on our water resources if allowed to cut through our watershed, especially with the standard development practices used by the industry.  We will be urging the DRBC to stand in defense of our River and communities when it comes to the PennEast Pipeline project,” said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper.

“Communities up and down the proposed route of the PennEast pipeline are expressing their opposition to the project, voiced in thoughtfully prepared municipal resolutions that pay special attention to the natural resources they value and work hard to protect. They look to the Delaware River Basin Commission as a powerful ally with the legal authority they lack to advocate on behalf of the basin and every being who calls it home,” said Karen Feridun, Founder of Berks Gas Truth.

"The proposed pipeline would cross my historic farm which lies in the most sensitive part of the Well Head Protection Area (WHPA) that provides the town of Stockton, NJ, with its water supply. Any contamination of this aquifer would have serious and irreparable consequences for the safe drinking water of our region, including the Delaware River. In addition, the clearing of mature trees would exasperate storm runoff problems causing flooding and property damage to surrounding properties,” said Deborah Scoblionkov a local property owner.

"If approved, the PennEast pipeline would increase demand for fracking in Pennsylvania, impact tens of thousands of people along the entire route, and pollute our air, water, and soil in the Delaware River Watershed," said Joe Minott, Esq., Executive Director of the Clean Air Council. "Already, every single impacted community in New Jersey has passed a resolution of opposition to the pipeline, along with many townships in Pennsylvania. The people are standing up and demanding an end to polluting gas infrastructure. It is time for the DRBC to respect the voices of impacted communities and exercise their jurisdiction to stop the PennEast pipeline and protect the watershed."

For more information, visit the DRBC Upcoming Meetings webpage.