A conservation group has named New York’s Upper Delaware River the “most endangered” in the country, warning of a threat from natural gas drilling that could compare with the spill in the gulf.
The controversial technique for drilling gas wells in shale, known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” has earned the river the top spot on the most endangered list. Shale gas proponents believe that natural gas is a bridge to the renewable, clean-energy future but critics argue that fracking has caused significant spills and contamination around the country.
The Upper Delaware watershed, where there are plans to drill more than 1,700 natural gas wells, provides drinking water for millions.
The conservation group’s Amy Kober says, “We don’t want to turn the drinking water supply for 17 million people into an environmental disaster area like we’re seeing now in the Gulf of Mexico.”
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Continue reading News Service: NY River Country’s Most Endangered
Documents show that the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the federal agency responsible for regulating offshore oil drilling, repeatedly ignored warnings from government scientists regarding environmental risks as it pushed to quickly approve energy exploration activities. MMS officials receive cash bonuses for meeting federal deadlines on leasing offshore oil and gas exploration.
