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The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) received scathing criticism regarding proposed draft natural gas regulations at Tuesday's public hearing held at Honesdale High School.
Speakers on both sides of the debate said there were flaws in the proposed draft regulations, such as layered bureaucracy, problems with setback requirements, and that the DRBC is moving too quickly through the process.
“They are an unnecessary duplication of regulations already in place,” Wayne County Commissioner Anthony Herzog said.
Under the regulation’s Approval by Rule addition, Herzog said the director of the DRBC would be given “czar-like powers.”
Executive director Carol Collier was appointed in 1998 and heads the four-state federal commission, encompassing the Delaware Basin region in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware.
The DRBC is proposing a new Article 7 to its Water Quality Regulations, which includes an approval-by-rule procedure, giving the executive director the ability to approve certain projects associated with natural gas drilling in order to streamline the process. Not included are projects having to do with hydraulic fracturing or well pad construction.
The new regulations also call for 500-foot setback requirements from water bodies, wetlands, surface water supply intake and water supply reservoirs.
Under the Approval by Rule, Collier would be able to approve certain projects for well pads and water withdrawal without having to go before the commission.
Anti-gas drilling speakers said the new rules do not take into consideration potential long-term damages because they were not written based a cumulative impact study.
Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, said the gas drilling companies are looking to “run wild” in the Delaware Basin region.
“Sadly, you’re (DRBC) rushing up to meet them, with rules that are not based on a scientific study you needed to do,” she said. “These rules will not prevent catastrophic pollution events and they also will not prevent cumulative degradation you are supposed to prevent.”
“Three words: Do no harm,” she added. “We will not let you sacrifice our water for gas.”
Karl Wasner, who lives in Milanville across the road from the Crum wellsite, said the industry cannot be trusted to police itself.
Damascus farmer Greg Swartz said the DRBC should have based the decision-making process on sound, scientific evaluation.
Honesdale resident and planning consultant Tom Shepstone said the new regulations “put DRBC staff with zero experience in regulating gas, in charge over states with extensive experience.”
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) received scathing criticism regarding proposed draft natural gas regulations at Tuesday's public hearing held at Honesdale High School.
Speakers on both sides of the debate said there were flaws in the proposed draft regulations, such as layered bureaucracy, problems with setback requirements, and that the DRBC is moving too quickly through the process.
“They are an unnecessary duplication of regulations already in place,” Wayne County Commissioner Anthony Herzog said.
Under the regulation’s Approval by Rule addition, Herzog said the director of the DRBC would be given “czar-like powers.”
Executive director Carol Collier was appointed in 1998 and heads the four-state federal commission, encompassing the Delaware Basin region in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware.
The DRBC is proposing a new Article 7 to its Water Quality Regulations, which includes an approval-by-rule procedure, giving the executive director the ability to approve certain projects associated with natural gas drilling in order to streamline the process. Not included are projects having to do with hydraulic fracturing or well pad construction.
The new regulations also call for 500-foot setback requirements from water bodies, wetlands, surface water supply intake and water supply reservoirs.
Under the Approval by Rule, Collier would be able to approve certain projects for well pads and water withdrawal without having to go before the commission.
Anti-gas drilling speakers said the new rules do not take into consideration potential long-term damages because they were not written based a cumulative impact study.
Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, said the gas drilling companies are looking to “run wild” in the Delaware Basin region.
“Sadly, you’re (DRBC) rushing up to meet them, with rules that are not based on a scientific study you needed to do,” she said. “These rules will not prevent catastrophic pollution events and they also will not prevent cumulative degradation you are supposed to prevent.”
“Three words: Do no harm,” she added. “We will not let you sacrifice our water for gas.”
Karl Wasner, who lives in Milanville across the road from the Crum wellsite, said the industry cannot be trusted to police itself.
Damascus farmer Greg Swartz said the DRBC should have based the decision-making process on sound, scientific evaluation.
Honesdale resident and planning consultant Tom Shepstone said the new regulations “put DRBC staff with zero experience in regulating gas, in charge over states with extensive experience.”
“Common sense suggests the state should be in charge with the DRBC as an interested agency to recommend different standards in special situations,” Shepstone said.
He also called Section 7.5 of the new regulations, which deals with setbacks, an “unprecedented intrusion.”
“It’s not your watershed, its ours,” he added.
But, some speakers felt that gives Collier and her staff too much power.
Collier was the target of much criticism.
“You are not elected to represent us,” said Carol Woodmansee, northern Wayne County resident. You do not live here, work here, have children here. You do not give a squat about the citizens and property owners of Wayne County.”
The DRBC has received about 1,600 comments on the proposed draft regulations. A vote is expected in the summer or fall of this year, Collier said.
Once the draft regulations are adopted, the DRBC estimates that 15,000-18,000 horizontal wells will be drilled over a 30-year-period in Pennsylvania and New York.
