Federal judge dismisses suit to overturn Delaware River Basin fracking ban
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Judge Paul S. Diamond, of the U.S. Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania, dismissed a lawsuit intended to overturn the hydraulic fracturing ban in the Delaware River Basin, according to Farm and Dairy.
The suit was filed by Republican state senators Gen Yaw and Lisa Baker. It claimed the Delaware River Basin Commission overstepped its authority in approving a final rule banning hydraulic fracturing in the basin that stretches across Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware.
Judge Diamond tossed the suit and dismissed its claims with prejudice, saying the plaintiffs did not have the standing to file it. In his 18-page opinion, he wrote that the plaintiffs did not prove there was actual injury and the dispute “is essentially political and so best resolved by the political branches of government.”
Learn more: Farm and Dairy > Suit to overturn Delaware River basin fracking ban tossed
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.