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Endangered River announcement sparks controversy
By SANDY LONG
NARROWSBURG, NY — A new type of impact related to gas drilling is emerging in the region, evidenced by some who attended last week’s announcement that the national organization American Rivers has named the Upper Delaware the nation’s most endangered river due to natural gas extraction.
Several speakers were heckled by members of the crowd at the June 2 event in Narrowsburg. Others in the audience engaged in yelling, threats and throwing water. Following the event, people on both sides of the issue are calling for a more civil, respectful dialogue. For more information on the river designation visit www.AmericanRivers.org .
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| TRR photo by Sandy Long | |
| Pat Carullo, left, of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability responds to hecklers from the crowd who tried to disrupt his wife, Marcia Nehemiah, from completing the American Rivers announcement. As Nehemiah quoted from the American Rivers press release, “The Upper Delaware River, the drinking water source for 17 million people across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania is at risk from shale fracking for natural gas, a process that poisons groundwater and creates toxic pollution,” a woman called out, “Not true!” igniting a volley of responses that continued throughout the event.
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| TRR photo by Danielle Gaebel | |
| A man attempts to block Sullivan County, NY landowner Jill Weiner from displaying her “Drilling Isn’t Safe” button while Marian Schweighofer, president of the Northern Wayne Property Owners Alliance (in front of man) is questioned. Weiner said she was also pushed by a woman who then squirted water on her. “I’m protecting the wildlife and my way of life,” said Weiner. Schweighofer also says she was threatened while being interviewed by CNN. “The identity of the person who made the threat is known, and the incident has been discussed with authorities,” Schweighofer wrote in an email. “A community dialogue is already taking place—out of public sight and away from the media. This dialogue is identifying shared interests, areas of agreement and steps that can be taken to address shared concerns. Given the hostility that has characterized some past meetings, it is best that these initial discussions progress in this manner in order to be productive.”
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| TRR photo by Sandy Long | |
| Carol Woodmansee, right, wearing sunglasses, questions NY Congressman Maurice Hinchey, left, who during his remarks stressed concern over the lack of federal regulation of fracking. Woodmansee, a leaseholder in Buckingham Township, PA disagrees with the call for more regulation. “It’s a confiscation of our property,” she said. “I am all for protecting our land, which has been in my family for 100 years, but we don’t need more regulation. It needs to be properly implemented by our government officials. Drilling will help our local, state and national economies. We can drill responsibly and keep farmers from losing their land. There are going to be risks, but we can handle those risks. For the greater good, we need to allow drilling in the area.” Said Hinchey, “I’ve taken a range of actions to make sure that our river and its communities are well protected,” such as sponsoring the FRAC Act. “I have urged the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to conduct a cumulative impact analysis before issuing permits on a case-by-case basis and that gas exploratory wells be reviewed and regulated by this agency. I’m sending Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi a letter today urging her to move the FRAC Act forward. Why would anyone not want the truth about drilling so that safety and security can be enhanced? Let’s not have secrets about what’s being put into the ground. Let’s have honesty and sincerity. We need to restore the Safe Drinking Water Act and we’re going to continue working hard to do it.” The DRBC has issued a statement of its own about the Endangered Rivers designation, which can be seen at www.state.nj.us/drbc/DRBCstatement_EndangeredRivers_6-2-2010.pdf.
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