Forbes criticized for letter to DRBC

By TOM KANE

MILFORD, PA — Lackawaxen resident Gordon Wildermuth criticized a letter written by Commissioner Harry Forbes to the secretary of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) in support of the Stone Energy Corporation’s request last summer for a permit to withdraw water from the Lackawaxen River. The river flows into the Delaware River and is a part of the Delaware River Watershed.

In July, the DRBC approved a permit to allow Stone Energy to withdraw 700,000 gallons of water per day from the river. Forbes wrote the letter prior to the approval.

At the weekly commissioners meeting on September 22, Wildermuth said, “Many of your Pike County constituents who are concerned with the tremendous liability hydro-fracturing entails to our water, our environment, our property values, our tourism and recreation and our future generations wrote letters opposing Stone Energy’s application and gave testimony in public hearings.”

Wildermuth said he recognizes the commissioner’s right to express his opinion in favor of drilling and the withdrawals. But, he added, “I could not explain why a Pike County Commissioner would state, ‘As a leader in Pike County, I ask that the Delaware River Basin Commission approve the dockets submitted by Stone Energy.’” Wildermuth further criticized Forbes for writing the letter on Pike County Commissioner letterhead.

“Mr. Forbes is not making a blanket endorsement of drilling but is expressing his opinion on this company’s request,” said Pike County Attorney Tom Farley, stating that the letterhead had only Forbes’ name on it, not the other commissioners.

“We each have letter paper with our own names on it,” said Rich Caridi, chairman of the commissioners. “Mr. Forbes has every right to use this letterhead paper.”

Forbes responded that he was expressing his own opinion and was not speaking for the other two commissioners.

“It is not necessary to attack the commissioner,” Farley said.

While the DRBC has approved the water withdrawal, it has put a hold on new drilling operations in the watershed, allowing the four that have already been established to move ahead. These four are called exploratory, vertical wells, and will not conduct horizontal drilling or hydraulic fracturing until the DRBC issues new drilling rules, perhaps by the end of the year.