Hydrofracking has emerged as a new threat to the Delaware River and the drinking water it provides to 15 million people, including 3 million in New Jersey and half of the clean, unfiltered drinking water supply for 9 million New Yorkers.

What does fracking bring to communities where wells are drilled? 

• Fracking brings wells 200 feet away from the backyards and parks where our children play.
• It brings water and air pollution from wells and open chemical pits, wastewater laced with toxins and carcinogens, and soot from hundreds of construction vehicles.
• Fracking brings new gas and income to the communities, but at what cost? The oil and gas industry releases millions of pounds of pollutants like methane, benzene, and sulfur dioxide into our air each year.

Help Put an End to Fracking

Say NO to Fracking in the Delaware River Basin

On November 21, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will hold a meeting to decide if fracking will be allowed in the Delaware River Basin. In addition to gathering thousands of letters in opposition, we will be holding a rally at 9:00 am (before the DRBC's 10:00 am meeting) at the War memorial in Trenton to send a strong message that no one supports fracking in the basin.

• ATTEND THE RALLY! Make a statement about gas drilling and fracking in the Delaware River Watershed. Come stand with us on November 21 in Trenton at 9:00 am for the rally. Together, we can protect our water! For more info or to RSVP attendance, contact Jenny Vickers at 732-280-8988 or jvickers@cleanwater.org. To find out transportation options, visit Food & Water Watch's website.
• SEND A LETTER to the members of the DRBC (the Governors of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware), the Army Corps of Engineers, and President Obama. They are the ones deciding the future of this Basin, the Wild and Scenic Delaware River, and the water supply for over 15 million people regionally with their action on November 21. We need to tell them “Don’t Drill the Delaware!”

Help Ban Fracking in New Jersey

While no one is currently fracking in New Jersey, it threatens our drinking water. The Marcellus Shale, a natural gas repository that stretches from West Virginia through Pennsylvania and into New York and New Jersey, is the focus of the fracking industry. The Delaware River Basin and the drinking water reservoirs for over 15 million people, including 3 million New Jersey residents, runs right through Marcellus Shale.

Recently, 91 NJ legislators voted yes on a bill (S2576) to ban the practice in New Jersey. However, Governor Christie vetoed the bill despite the fact that it has considerable support within his own party.

• TAKE ACTION! Urge your legislator to protect our drinking water by voting YES to override Christie's veto of S2576.

We believe the risks to our water and our health are greater than natural gas industry admits. Fracking has been mostly without incident, but gas wells are now being drilled deeper and stretched vertically and horizontally to get at remote deposits.

This expansion has exponentially increased the risks: a single well can result in a million gallons of wastewater laced with carcinogens like benzene and radioactive elements like radium. Imagine that leeching into your water. Rural homeowners who live near fracking operations have discovered that they can light their water on fire. Please take action today and help put an end to fracking in New Jersey!

For More Information

Jenny Vickers, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 732-280-8988. Email: jvickers@cleanwater.org