‘Grassroots’ at a glance

Community activism defines Upper Delaware Region

UPPER DELAWARE RIVER REGION — Since 1975, The River Reporter (TRR) has consistently covered the key environmental issues affecting the river valley and its inhabitants. From the days when the Upper Delaware Council was formed following several decades of unrest and activism ( see UDC: at the hub ), to the current challenges that accompany growth, powerlines and natural gas extraction, TRR has brought its readers extensive coverage related to these issues.

The paper closely followed New York Regional Interconnect’s proposed powerline project and covered the recent withdrawal of that project, even as it continued to focus on new environmental impacts to the region.

A significant portion of TRR’s coverage area of Sullivan County, NY, and Wayne and Pike counties, PA, overlies one of the largest natural gas formations in the United States, the Marcellus Shale. In response, the paper has prioritized its coverage of this unprecedented phenomenon, its development and potential impacts.

Last week, members of TRR’s editorial staff and others from the community traveled to Dimock, PA to gain a firsthand look at the increasingly industrial landscape developing in rural Susquehanna County as natural gas extraction activities increase. We present several images from the “Goodbye NYRI” event that took place in Narrowsburg, NY on the day following the trip to Dimock, as well as images gathered in Dimock.

In both cases, community activism is playing an important role, with the development of multiple groups focused on protecting the region.